Toy Store
by Aryanne
Summary: A couple converses in front of a toy store. Relationships aren't always what they seem, but don't we all love a good soap opera?
1. Toy Store

**A/N – This is a scene I worked on and changed around for my 'Intro. to Fiction and Poetry Writing' class last semester. It's a stand alone piece. You may recognize the basic format from chapter seven of Silver Cross, although the two scenarios wind up ending much differently. Enjoy. **

**- **

**Disclaimer – I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. **

**- **

**Toy Store **

**- **

He grabbed her arm from behind as she stood in the downpour, staring through the wet window of a toy shop. An ornately decorated miniature train chugged its way slowly around the perimeter of the main room on a track hung suspended from the ceiling.

"What do you think you're doing? It took forever for me to find you in all these people."

The sound of his voice almost compelled her to turn and face him, but she didn't want to react to his presence. "You left, so I left. I knew you'd find me eventually," she forced herself to say coolly, focusing her eyes on the toy train. It made its way around a fake Mount Kilimanjaro halfway across the store, and circled back towards her.

He pulled her towards him by her arm, forcing her to turn around and face him. His drenched shirt dripped rain from the sleeves and his jeans were a dark, saturated blue. His hair cascaded water down his face in mini rivulets of moisture, though he was now half-covered by her umbrella. His face displayed blatantly mixed emotions, none the least of them frustration.

"You could've gotten hurt," he accused.

"And whose fault would that have been?" she asked, forcing her temper to stay in check. He drew away from her a little, as if she'd just slapped him, but he didn't let go of her arm. She decided to get to the point. "I never told you what Megumi said."

He frowned. She could see him visibly shrug off whatever emotion her words had invoked. He'd switched to defense mode, the classically cold, impersonal, business him. "Tell me now."

"Megumi wants you to meet her at her house in an hour," she said slowly, vainly searching her mind for an explanation that kept him innocent, but she couldn't come up with one.

He lowered his head, thinking, so she couldn't see his eyes. She wondered what play of thoughts wound through his mind.

"How do you know Megumi," she asked when the rhythmic sounds of the downpour and the rush of cars going by soothed her pride enough for her to break the silence.

"She's an acquaintance from my first job," he replied.

"Should I care about her?" She couldn't resist the urge to question him, now that she felt their relationship rending apart.

He blinked rain water from his eyes. "No. You don't even know Megumi," he dodged the question.

"But you're going to meet her," she persisted.

"Yeah," he confirmed.

"Should I come?" she asked.

"If you want." He shrugged uneasily. His hair had stopped dripping now.

"Do you want me to come?"

He dropped her arm. "No."

Her shirt was damp where his fingers had touched it. She half-wished she could stare at the train again. At least she could buy that if she really wanted it.

"You'll never trust me again." His words were flat. She was angry because he felt he had the right to blame it all on her.

"I had no doubts about you in the beginning, but I can't stop doubting you now." Her voice rose seemingly on its own. "I'm not the one who has to trust you anyway."

"You'll tell your sister your side of the story and she'll believe you, not me," he protested.

"There are no sides, but I will tell my sister what happened if you don't first. I'm not here to muck up the relationship. I have a life. That's why I was at the party in the first place. Go meet Megumi. I don't care as long as you tell my sister."

She couldn't keep the stomp from her step as she walked away towards the curb, leaving him in the downpour once again. Her sister's boyfriend watched her hail a taxi, and then watched the taxi as it butted its way into traffic. Decision made, he turned away from the site of the impromptu meeting.

Behind him, the train rounded a scaled down Mount Pompeii chugged off into the depths of the toy store.

-

**A/N – I thought of putting up this story just before I went to sleep last night and had to do it. It's short, but the assignment for class was a two page piece. I think I was lacking inspiration at the time, so I just took a scene from Silver Cross. Of course my professor went over it with a fine tooth comb, so it ended up very different. I hope it's not to soap opera-ish. Tell me your opinion if you happen to have the motivation. Until next time, **

** Aryanne **


	2. Her Living Room

**Disclaimer - I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.**

**- **

**Toy Store**  


-

**Living Room**

-

She opened her door and he was standing there. He was dripping wet with rain, as he'd been the last time she'd seen him. "What do you want?" she asked, not able to keep the spite from her voice.

"Your sister and I broke up because I told her about Megumi."

"I know," she said.

Rain trickled across his cheek. "If I hadn't told her-"

"Are you saying you'd rather I let my sister live a lie? Do you actually think she deserves that?" She was angry, and he was visibly upset. It took a lot to get him visibly upset. "Don't blame this on me. It's your fault for cheating on her!"

"I didn't cheat on her!" His face was red.

"Is something wrong?" a female voice asked from behind her. Misao. "You both sound upset."

"No," Kaoru said icily. "He was just leaving."

"I'm not leaving until I say what I have to say."

"Fine. Then say it to Misao." She turned her back on him and stomped into the living room. She threw herself on the couch and tried to control her breathing. A part of her wanted to hear this. If she hadn't cared she would have gone upstairs and locked herself in her room.

"Would you like to come in?" she heard Misao ask civilly. His voice was too low pitched for her to pick out the words. There was the sound of the door shutting and footsteps on the hardwood floors. She didn't know if he'd accepted Misao's invitation. But then came the sound of shoes coming off. Misao had probably told him he was too wet to walk further into the house than the foyer with them on. And she heard his voice again, muffled through the wall. Misao would let him come in after she figured Kaoru had calmed down. She genuinely liked him, and Kaoru hadn't told her why he'd broken up with her sister.

Kaoru took a deep breath and sat up straight. He walked in the doorway, so silently that she wouldn't have known if she hadn't been watching for him. They sized each other up. He was calm again. He'd been rushed, not himself, even when she'd opened the door. Something must have happened.

"What do you want?" Kaoru broke the silence as she stood. She felt better standing around him.

"Can I come in?"

Kaoru crossed her arms. "I'd rather you stood in the doorway, thanks."

"Fine."

"You know," Kaoru said after a moment of silence. "People don't usually come and bother the families of girlfriends they've just cheated on and then broken up with. It's because the families are pissed off."

"I didn't cheat on her with Megumi."

"You told her you did." Kaoru smiled to hold in her anger. "Why are you bothering to come here and lie to me? You won't gain anything."

"I told her I did to make it easier for us to break up."

"Oh you did, huh? I can't believe you expect me to believe you!" She threw her hands in the air and glared at him.

"It's the truth. You think I would have come all the way out here in the rain to lie to you? I'm not going to lie to you again."

Kaoru strode across the living room to stand in front of him. "Again, huh? And just what did you lie to me about before? Oh wait, what didn't you lie to me about before? Everything you say is a lie!"

"I didn't sleep with Megumi, damnit! I didn't cheat on your sister! I let you think I was cheating on her with Megumi so you'd still think she was an angel when we broke up, so she had some reason to tell you. Megumi's my brother's girlfriend for God's sake! If you want to know the truth, ask your sister."

He was angry now, and she was scared. But not of him. "What are you saying about my sister! You're insulting her!"

"I'm not insulting her. I'm telling you the truth. Why don't you ask her? Ask her the next time you visit her."

"My sister tells me everything. I'm going to see her tomorrow, and she'll tell me the reason she broke up with you and it'll be because of you and Megumi. I love her. She's family." Kaoru said defiantly. "If all you came here to do was to turn me against her, you're wasting your time. Get out."

A last drop of rain trickled down from his hair and down the side of his face, catching on his chin and dropping onto the collar of his shirt. "Kaoru, I love you," he said quietly, desperately, stopping her heart for a split second. "Just ask her, okay?"

He turned and went into the hall. She could hear him pulling on his shoes as she stared at the spot where he'd been standing. She was conscious of her lungs expanding, of the sound of her breath in her head, in and out. She hated him. Hated him because she'd loved him the moment she'd seen him with her sister. But she'd loved him for her sister, because she must love anyone her sister was in love with. She'd loved many of them, the men her sister brought home. But he'd been different. Kaoru had thought it was because he was 'the one' for her sister, but maybe it was because he'd looked at her differently than the other ones had. He'd cared about her too, and from the start.

He opened the door. The rain smell invaded the house, the smell of the world washed. She hated him.

He left.


	3. Her Sister's House

**Disclaimer - I don't own Rurouni Kenshin**

**-**

**Toy Store**

**-**

**Her Sister's House**

**- **

"I'm so miserable, Kaoru," her sister said as she flipped channels on the TV. A tissue box rested next to her on the couch and the small trash can next to her was half full of used Kleenex. "Men are such jerks, you know?"

"I know," Kaoru said. It hurt to see her sister like this, but his words were bugging her. "I can't believe he cheated on you."

"Me either," her sister said. She still sounded genuinely surprised. "I really can't believe it." She found an old black and white movie and set the remote down.

"Why'd he do it?" Kaoru asked, hyperaware of her sister sitting next to her on the couch.

"I've never claimed to know how the mind of a man works." Her sister said. She was staring straight ahead at the television. She didn't make eye contact with Kaoru.

"You're not being honest," Kaoru said gently. "I love you. You can tell me."

Her sister shook her head, "Oh, but what will you think of me?" She shook her head. "What am I thinking, you're my sister, you have to love me," she said lightly.

Kaoru waited.

"I got tired of him, Kaoru. So I had an affair with another man." She paused and licked her lips uneasily. "But I still miss him now that I kicked him out."

"He didn't dump you when you told him?" Kaoru asked.

"I didn't tell him. He heard from a friend," her sister confessed. "I thought he slept with Megumi to get back at me. Can you believe we hadn't even slept with each other yet? But he told me he hadn't slept with her, and that I could use that as an excuse if I wanted to end our relationship. So I did." She shrugged. "I don't know what he means by sacrificing his reputation for mine."

She finally turned to face Kaoru. "But don't tell anyone. I only told you because you're my sister." She took Kaoru's hands in her own and looked into her eyes. "Now tell me you still love me, Kaoru."

Kaoru smiled for her sister. "I'll always love you."


	4. Morning

**Disclaimer - I don't own Ruroui Kenshin**

**-**

**Toy Store**

**-**

**Morning**

**- **

"Hey," his brother said, looking up from his bagel when Kenshin walked into the kitchen. "You're up late."

"And you're up early," Kenshin observed, blearily pulling a cereal bowl down from the cupboard.

"Any particular reason?" his brother asked.

"No," Kenshin said shortly, seeing all too clearly where this was going. He wished his brother wasn't so annoying.

"Any particular person?" his brother asked as Kenshin chose his cereal and opened the box.

"No."

"I don't think it's that she hates you," his brother said, "Although I do think she thinks she hates you. But you can't really blame her. She thinks you betrayed her ditz of a sister. Why'd you go out with her anyway?"

"Who are you talking about?" Kenshin said, pouring milk into his bowl and sitting down at the table across from his brother.

"You know who I'm talking about. All I'm saying is you shouldn't give up on her. Women need time and space to cool off. And the woman you picked can get really pissy when she wants to."

"Why are you telling me this?" Kenshin asked wearily around a mouthful of cereal.

"Because you and I were not made to be conquered by women," his brother declared. "We were made to do the conquering."

"Don't tell your girlfriend that."

"Hell no. I ain't dumb."

They ate in silence for a few moments.

"You think she went to see her sister?"

Kenshin nodded. "Yeah. I know she got curious."

"You think her sister told her the truth?"

Kenshin shrugged. "Probably. I'm not sure."

"You owe her the truth, Kenshin."

He stopped eating. "You want me to go and see her again, don't you?"

"Bathroom duty for a month says you're not man enough to do it."

Kenshin grinned. "You're on."


	5. Her Kitchen

**Disclaimer - I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.**

**-**

**Toy Store**

**-**

**Kitchen**

**- **

She came home, walked in the kitchen, and he was sitting at the table next to Misao. They both looked up when she came in, and the hello she'd been about to utter expired on her lips. She had a bad taste in her mouth.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi, Kaoru," Misao said brightly. "We've been waiting on you."

"Not long, I hope," Kaoru said, regaining some of her composure and walking into the kitchen. This was her house. She'd strangle Misao later for letting him in.

Misao stood. "No. I knew you'd be back soon, so I waited with Kenshin. He's lucky he caught me at home. I only came back for a quick dinner. I'm off to work now. Don't expect me back until midnight."

"They're paying you overtime right?" Kaoru asked, her murderous feelings evaporation out of concern for her friend. Suddenly, she didn't want Misao to leave her alone with him.

Misao shrugged into the coat that had been draped across her chair and picked up her keys. "Of course. I think I'm going to get a promotion out of this one, Kaoru." She winked.

"See you later, guys," Misao said, heels clicking as she strode out of the room. They were silent as they listened to her exit, then to the sound of her starting her car and driving away.

She was aware of his eyes on her, even as she couldn't quite meet his. She kept remembering the words he said to her last.

"Why are you here?" Kaoru asked coldly, daring herself and succeeding in meeting his eyes. "I have nothing to say to you."

"It's been a month. You talked to your sister," he said. He looked confident. She was going to take that confidence and drown it, then stomp on it, and toss it off a cliff for good measure.

"I have," she said, walking past him to pour herself a glass of milk. She could always try to get that bad taste out of her mouth, although she had a feeling it wouldn't leave until he was gone.

"Did she tell you the truth?"

"She told me what she believes to be the truth," Kaoru said, opening the fridge, "I can't say my opinion of you is as high as hers, to believe the story you told her."

"You still think I lied about Megumi," he said flatly, his violet eyes starting to show dismay.

"You're quick on the uptake, aren't you?" she commented, picking up her glass of milk and turning to face him.

"Why would I lie?"

This innocent act was really starting to tick her off. "Why wouldn't you?" The words rushed from her mouth. "You have every reason to lie. You found out my sister cheated on you, so you went and slept with Megumi for revenge. For all I know, you could have been sleeping with her before then and told my sister you did it for revenge to cover up." Her voice was rising. "You weren't man enough to dump her and deal with the emotional guilt. And now you come and tell me this sob story about how you spread the rumor for my sister! I bet all you really want is some more ass."

Kenshin stood from the table and she was forced to look up at him. He was angry. He smiled so often that it was gratifying to see him angry. Satisfying.

"You don't know your sister very well. She would've fallen apart if I'd dumped her. I gave her the easy way out, not me. Now I have to deal with people thinking I slept with my brother's girlfriend. They know about the rumor, and they were pissed, but they're not stopping it for your sister, because I told them I loved you, and if you were ever going to love me back, I knew I couldn't hurt your sister."

"Congratulations, Kenshin. That is the biggest load of bull I've heard in a long time. Even if you bring Megumi and your brother here to verify that, there's no way I'll believe them. You give yourself too much credit. My sister would've celebrated if you'd dumped her."

Okay, so maybe that wasn't exactly true.

"How many times has your sister been dumped, Kaoru? Think about it. Think about all those break ups, all those men. No one dumped her because she couldn't handle it. They all sensed it. I sensed it. She'd do something crazy like kill herself, and then they'd have to live with the knowledge that they were the reason why she did it. No one wants to live with that. So no one dumped her. She's too needy. You can't see that side of her. She won't let you because you're her baby sister. And I think you refuse to see it because she's your big sister."

Kaoru knew her face was probably bright red. "I'd really like to punch you right now. Or hit you or kick you, or strangle you, but I don't think you'd let me, would you?"

He said nothing, stared at her warily as she drew closer, still holding the milk glass.

"I've heard about your martial arts reputation. My sister told me back when you first started going out with her. I'd settle for screaming at you, but you're not worth a sore throat. So please, get out before you tempt me."

"Fine."

Kaoru nodded. "Why don't you do that?"

He left.

She hated him more.


	6. Trust

**Disclaimer - I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.**

**-**

**Toy Store**

**-**

**Trust**

**- **

"Had any life changing experiences lately?"

Kaoru looked up from her work with a bemused smile. "What kind of question is that?"

"A perfectly reasonable one, Missy. Aren't you going to answer?"

Kaoru sat down her pen. "Alright." She put her elbows on the desk and made a show of thinking hard. "My housemate and I are thinking about getting a dog."

Sano shook his head. "Isn't there something more exciting?"

Kaoru shrugged. "Not that I know of."

He sighed, which was uncharacteristic of him. "So how's the family?"

"Alright. My parents are well, and my sister got a new job. Why are you asking anyway? You don't unless you want something."

Sano managed to look offended. "Is it a crime to inquire as to the nature of the family of a fellow employee?"

Kaoru rolled her eyes. "No. You're not hitting on me, are you?"

Sano visibly recoiled. "Damn girl; you think highly of yourself. No, Missy, I'm currently in a relationship."

Kaoru held up her hands in a gesture of innocence. "Hey, I was just making sure. I didn't think we had any interest in each other." She tossed her hair. "But I know I am tempting."

"We don't," he said flatly.

Kaoru laughed. "I know." Sano was acting strange this morning. Usually he was too tired in the mornings to act any particular way at all.

"Do you trust me, Kaoru?"

"What's this about?" Kaoru smiled. "Are you going to wait until I say yes to play a joke on me or something?"

"No. It's nothing like that," he said seriously. Sano was rarely serious with her. "Do you trust me," he asked again. "I need to know."

"Yeah," Kaoru said warily. "I do."

He smiled his slow smile and his whole body relaxed. "Good. I'll see you at lunch."

"Yeah whatever, Sano."


	7. The Gym

**Disclaimer - I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.**

**-**

**Toy Store**

**-**

**The Gym**

**- **

"Why if it isn't the little sister!" a female voice exclaimed. "Kaoru, wasn't it?"

She turned her head and there was Megumi, stepping up onto the treadmill next to her.

"I didn't know you went to this gym too," Megumi said in the same tone in which people say 'well isn't it a small world after all'.

Kaoru nodded and continued her workout. She couldn't think of anything else to do and she only had five minutes left before her treadmill time was up.

"Kenshin hasn't mentioned seeing you in a while," Megumi said, placing her water inside her treadmill's built in bottle holder. Kaoru wondered if Megumi was actually going to exercise or just stand there and rub her relationship with Kenshin in Kaoru's face.

"You are Kaoru right? We only met briefly at that party and it was so dark. I'm not just standing here, jabbering to a stranger, am I?"

Kaoru waited for the moment when she'd be able to say a couple words between her heavy breathing. She'd been exercising for the past hour and half. "I'm Kaoru."

Megumi smiled smugly. "I'm glad we met up then. I need to talk to you about Kenshin. He hasn't been himself since that break up with your sister. Is anything wrong with him?"

The woman really wasn't going to leave her alone. Kaoru slowed the treadmill speed to a fast walk. She might as well start her warm down. "You'd know better than I would."

"I can't see why I would," Megumi said lightly. "It's you he's falling over, not me."

This was worse than Kaoru had expected. He was stringing Megumi along in a relationship that was going nowhere and the woman was so stuck on him that she was going along with it! Men.

"You know what happened with him and my sister," Kaoru said. "Aren't you worried he'll do the same thing to you?"

"What are you talking about?" Megumi asked, looking confused.

Kaoru stared at her incredulously as she realized that the woman honestly didn't think he'd done anything wrong. Before today she'd been able to blindly hate Megumi, but it appeared that she was a victim too. She couldn't hate her anymore. There was no one to blame in this but Kenshin himself.

"Never mind," Kaoru said, stepping off the treadmill and grabbing her towel. "Nice meeting you again, Megumi."


	8. His Living Room

**Disclaimer - I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.**

**-**

**Toy Store**

**-**

**His Living Room**

**- **

"I ran into your one true love in the gym today, Kenny," Megumi said idly. They were sitting in the living room watching television and waiting for his brother to get back from work.

"I didn't know you went to the gym."

"The poor thing still thinks we're involved with each other," Megumi continued as if he hadn't said anything. "I must confess, I didn't disillusion her. Her facial expressions are very entertaining. Her emotions are like an open book, so different from her sister's."

"Why do you want to talk about her, Megumi?"

"Because I think she's just what you need. You've always been attracted to manipulative little witches of women. It's high time you found an honest one."

Kenshin mentally reviewed his ex-girlfriends. "Well, remember Kayla? She wasn't a manipulative witch."

Megumi sighed. "Men. So oblivious."

"She was?" he asked in surprise.

"When a woman says she wants to see other people because you traded in your Benz for a Ford, she's a manipulative witch."

"And all this time I thought she knew I was losing interest in her and brought it up first to save some dignity," Kenshin said thoughtfully.

"Nope. And I would know. She was my friend until I sold my car because I couldn't afford gas anymore."

"She was only friends with you for your car? She was a little cold now that I think about it. What happened to her anyway?"

"She married the senator of Alaska last year. She's rich, but I take comfort in the knowledge that she always hated going outside in temperatures lower than fifty degrees," Megumi said smoothly.

Kenshin laughed.

"My point is," Megumi continued. "Kaoru's a nice girl. She's just afraid to trust you again. Give her time. She can't help it."

"I can't wait forever."

"Trust me," she said knowingly, "you won't."


	9. Going Out

**Disclaimer - I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.**

**-**

**Toy Store**

**-**

**Going Out  
**

**- **

"You headed out?" Kaoru called to Misao as she heard her housemate's footsteps on the stairs. Misao was wearing heels. Funny. She only wore heels to work.

Misao popped her head into the living room, long black hair swaying into view behind her pea coat. "Kenshin's taking me out to dinner."

Kaoru, curled up in her pajamas for an early night in, struggled to sit up straight on the couch. "You're going out with him!"

Misao rolled her eyes. "No. I'm going out to dinner with him. Let's not assume a steady relationship where there isn't one." Her eyes caught her hair in the mirror next to the door, and she moved into the room to fix her bangs.

"But you can't go out with him," Kaoru exclaimed, wide-eyed.

Misao rolled her eyes and smoothed down a few stray hairs. "It's not like he's picking me up. I'm meeting him there, although he is paying for dinner. And why can't I go out with him? Jeez, you sound like my mother."

"But my sister-"

"They've been over. I don't care. Everyone deserves a second chance. You had your chance already, Kaoru. He seemed really interested in you when he came over here those two times. And what did you do? You picked fights with him."

"Misao, I don't trust him. If you knew what he did-"

Misao cut her off. "Don't judge people by past actions you've only heard about, Kaoru. You know how rumors are." Satisfied with her hair, she turned to face Kaoru with a smile. "I've been really patient with you, Kaoru. I sat and listened to you complain about him for a month when he and your sister broke up. It was like you were the one that broke up with him."

"He was horrible to her, Misao, and then he had the nerve to come and make up stories about how he did it all for her! He's a liar," Kaoru declared. "I even met Megumi in the gym the other day and he's got her wrapped around his little finger too!"

"Kaoru stop it!" Misao suddenly cut her off again. Her raised voice stilled Kaoru from her rant. Misao was cheerful. Kaoru was usually the one who yelled. "Stop hating him because you still trust him!"

"I don't!" Kaoru denied vehemently. "How can I? I have every reason not to and not even one to give him the benefit of the doubt! Not one!"

"How can you?" Misao repeated in disbelief. "He cared about you when he didn't even know you! And I admire him for still caring after he saw the ugly side of you. Sometimes I have a hard time living with you and I'm your best friend!"

Her mother's home training kicked in, and Kaoru felt guilty. She couldn't meet Misao's green eyes any longer. Then self-realization kicked in too, and she had to look away, down at the other woman's shoes, down at her heels. Was she really so determined to hate him that she'd missed out on what could have been a good thing? No. She couldn't believe that. But she didn't want to hate him anymore. Hating took too much emotion.

But she had to try and save her friend, because they were best friends. The other woman was right about that at least. "Please don't go out with him," she said, because there was nothing else to say.

Misao sighed. "I'm not going out with him. He's offering me a job and he's paying for dinner while we talk about the position I might take. At some point, we'll probably wind up talking about you, and it won't be me who starts the conversation either. Good bye, Kaoru."

She turned and left the living room. Kaoru looked up just in time to see the back of Misao's petite form as she shut the front door behind her.


	10. Lunch Date

**Disclaimer - I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.**

**-**

**Toy Store**

**-**

**Lunch Date**

**- **

"So what'd you think of Tom?" her sister asked, popping a crouton into her mouth.

"I liked him well enough," Kaoru replied, which was true. She had liked him, but he didn't compare to some of her sister's other boyfriends and they both knew it. Her sister wouldn't have bothered to ask what Kaoru thought of Tom if she'd been crazy about him. She usually assumed Kaoru liked her boyfriends as much as she did. Tom probably wasn't going to last very long.

"How much time have we got before you have to go back to work?"

Kaoru checked her watch. "Twenty minutes."

Her sister nodded. "Good. That's plenty of time to have a real talk. Lunch is so ritualistic. It shouldn't be like that with us. We're sisters for heaven's sake!"

Kaoru laughed. She hadn't been out to lunch with her sister in a long time. "What do you want to have a real talk about?"

"Men," her sister said, leaning forward over her salad, eyes shining. "We can start with Kenshin Himura."

"Him?" Kaoru asked skeptically. "Why do you want to talk about him?"

Her sister made a show of sighing. "He's been to see me."

"Why?" Kaoru struggled to maintain control over her rising anger. If he was trying to play her sister again… "Don't tell me he wants you back," she managed to finish on a light note.

"Nope," her sister shook her head with a grin. "He wants you back."

"Back?" Kaoru snorted, relieved he wasn't after her sister. "He never had me in the first place."

"Oh come on, you were good friends when I was going out with him. At the time I was even a little jealous that you two got along so well." Her sister smiled coyly. "But now that I have Tom, you're free to go fishing through my leftovers, Kaoru."

"Thanks for your permission," Kaoru said wryly. As if that was going to happen.

"Kaoru! You're not still mad at him for pretending he cheated on me with that woman, are you? Hell, if I'd really cared I would have gone out there and kicked her ass for going along with his dumb plan. You know I don't take that. But Kenshin's a sweetie and I believe him. He told me everything, even about him meeting up with you the night you were both at that party. I have to admit, I am kind of pissed you didn't invite me."

Kaoru laughed. "You had a boyfriend. You weren't supposed to go to parties to pick up men."

Her sister's eyes grew wide. "Gasp! You went to that party to pick up men? Oh no you didn't! Not my little sister!"

"It didn't work," Kaoru pouted. "I almost had one when Megumi bumped into me and ruined the whole night."

Her sister kicked her under the table. "Little sister! Don't say such things. Mom would not be pleased. And Daddy would kill you!"

"If he'd kill me for that one time, then you ought to be on your nineteenth life by now."

Her sister rolled her eyes and they both burst out laughing.


	11. Job Interview

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**Toy Store**

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**Job Interview  
**

**- **

"Is my hair alright, or is it rebelling again?" Misao asked, straightening her business suit jacket.

"It's wonderful, Misao," Kaoru assured her. "You're going to do great on this interview."

"I can only hope. Thanks again for coming with me. I really want this job."

Kaoru smiled at her friend. "I'm here to help."

"Ms. Makimachi?" the receptionist at the desk called.

"That's me!" Misao said cheerfully.

"I'll meet you in the coffee shop downstairs," Kaoru told her.

"Okay," Misao said as she walked away to follow the receptionist back to her interview.

The place was nice. Kaoru thought Misao would definitely do well with this company if she were hired. As she walked to the elevator, she reflected that it was still unsettling that Kenshin Himura worked here, but she was still too happy that Misao had forgiven her for judging him harshly to risk commenting on that fact to Misao. She didn't mind letting her best friend exist in the happy bubble she seemed to move through the world in. Her sister said Misao lived with class, and her sister didn't compliment many women.

Even the elevators were nice, Kaoru reflected as she got in behind a couple businessmen on lunch break. Elevator music always reminded her of old black and white movies and made her smile. She glanced back at the floor where she'd left Misao just as the elevator doors were closing and met Kenshin's eyes. She hoped he wouldn't recognize her and willed the doors to close faster, but recognition dawned in his expression. His eyes widened and she heard him say her name just as the doors closed.

She really didn't want to see him. Misao had made her swear to apologize for yelling at him if she ever talked to him again. Kaoru had agreed, even though she still couldn't bring herself to forgive him or believe his ridiculous story. She had to admit to herself though, that one of the reasons she'd agreed, okay the main reason, was because she thought she'd never see him again. At least it was impossible for him to get to the ground floor before her. He couldn't possibly beat her with the stairs, he'd been on the tenth floor, so she took whatever time she had and rushed into the coffee shop. But maybe she was being vain. He was probably sick of her and wouldn't bother to follow her down.

Relaxing a little, she walked quickly across the lobby and into the coffee shop, where she told the waiter she was expecting one more – Misao, not Kenshin – and he seated her at a table for two. She sat with her back to the door, just in case, and thanked her lucky stars that the man sitting at the table closest to her was so fat he would have blocked a Clydesdale from view of the door.

He found her anyway.

"Can I join you for a moment?"

He got a couple points for perseverance. "Sure," she said, and gestured for him to sit down. "I saw you in the elevator, but I thought you were probably busy, you being at work and all." Great. She was nervous. She hated apologizing for things she wasn't sorry for doing.

"I'm on my lunch break," he said, sliding into the seat across from her.

"So how are you?" Kaoru asked, because she didn't want him to direct the conversation. Maybe he'd leave in a while. He looked rushed for a man on his lunch break.

"Fine," he said, which wasn't an answer at all. "How've you been?"

"Alright," she said, which wasn't an answer either. Two could play that game. "I thought you'd be interviewing Misao."

"No. This is the last interview in the process. It's done by a junior partner in the company."

"Who, if you don't mind me asking?" she asked almost before he was done speaking. She didn't want to know why he'd followed her to the coffee shop.

"Aoshi Shinomori. Look, Kaoru-"

"Never heard of him," she cut him off, "but then again I can't think why I should have. I guess Misao will tell me about him later. She's a real talker when-"

"Kaoru, I need to talk to you. Why are you so nervous?"

"Because I don't want you to say what you're going to say," Kaoru moaned. "So can't you just not say it?"

"Kaoru, I-"

"I can't believe you about Megumi, Kenshin! I trusted you before that, and I can't bring myself to again. I just can't, okay?"

He looked hurt, and disturbingly, she cared that he looked hurt, that he obviously was hurt. He was probably going to say something, but at that moment that waiter came and asked what they wanted to order.

"A white chocolate mocha with a mint shot," she told him, suddenly miserable.

"And you, sir?"

"Nothing," he said, watching her as he stood. "I was just leaving." He made his way away from her table, towards the entrance.

"I take the menus then, Miss."

"No, I have a friend coming in a half hour or so," Kaoru told the waiter, turning a little in her seat to watch Kenshin leave. She'd broken her word by not apologizing, but worse, he'd left on his own this time.


	12. The Office

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**Toy Store**

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**The Office**

**- **

"Hey, Missy."

"Huh?"

"My fiancée's taking me out to lunch, so I'm stopping by the men's room. Keep her here if she comes while I'm in there, will you?"

"Sure, Sano," Kaoru nodded. She'd been curious about the woman since she'd met Sano. He'd gotten engaged to her a month ago, and all she heard now was how swamped he was with wedding plans.

She left her office and went into the reception area, just in case the woman did show up. She'd waited no longer than thirty seconds when Megumi walked in the door.

"Hello, Kaoru. How pleasant it is to see you," she said primly, completely ignoring the receptionist and sweeping towards a startled Kaoru.

Kaoru smiled to hide her confusion. "You too, Megumi," she said as they shook hands. "Can I help you with anything?"

"My fiancée," Megumi said simply. "We're going out to lunch. But don't worry, I'm fine waiting here."

"Oh! That's nice." Was everyone getting married, Kaoru wondered to herself. Next, it'd be Misao and she'd have to find another roommate.

"Yes. We've been together for three years and this is the first time he's asked me to pick him up at work. I said what, are you ashamed of me or something? He said no, he just didn't want the guys at work messing with me. As if I can't handle myself. Are men juvenile, or are men juvenile," she asked the secretary.

"Men do grow up several times in their life," the secretary said, shaking her head. "I'm not even going to start on my husband. It's a damn shame."

"No arguments here," Kaoru agreed, resisting the urge to start griping about the ex-boyfriends of sisters who thought they could get with you.

"Yo, Meg, you're late," Sano yelled from down the hallway.

"Only by two minutes. I got stuck in traffic," Megumi yelled back, even though Sano had almost reached them.

He enveloped her in a hug and gave her a quick kiss. "Let's get out of here. My lunch break's ticking away."

Connections were forming in Kaoru's head.

"Thanks for entertaining Meg for me, Missy," Sano said, turning to her with an arm around his fiancée's waist. "You're invited to our wedding, by the way. You too, Ginny," he said to the secretary. "We're deciding on the invitations at lunch today." He rolled his eyes so they all knew he wouldn't enjoy it.

Megumi smiled. She clearly knew what thoughts were running through Kaoru's head. "I'll see you later, Kaoru." Oh she was enjoying this.

"You're Kenshin's brother!" Kaoru blurted out, unable to resist the urge to point at Sano accusingly.

"Sure am," Sano nodded.

"But you don't have the same last name!" Kaoru spluttered. "You look nothing alike!"

Sano shrugged. "Half brother if you want to get technical. Jeez, Missy, don't flip out."

"But that means-"

"That Kenshin really didn't cheat on your sister with Megumi and blah blah blah," Sano said. "Yeah. See you when my lunch break's over."

"I'm an idiot!" Kaoru moaned to the secretary as Sano and Megumi left.


	13. Brothers

**Disclaimer - I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.**

**-**

**Toy Store**

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**Brothers **

**- **

"…so now she knows," Sano finished. His brother did not look happy. "What's wrong?"

"If my brother was anyone else but you, she wouldn't have believed it," Kenshin said unhappily. "She doesn't trust me. She trusts you."

"Hey! Look on the bright side. She knows you weren't playing her sister. That's a very important start."

Kenshin shook his head and stared out the car window. "I know Megumi was glad to be there."

"Hell yeah," Sano said, glancing both ways before he steered the car into a left turn. "I had to hold her up in the elevator, she was laughing so hard."

Kenshin smiled. "At least someone's getting a kick out of all this."

"Since you met Missy, your sex life has been pretty sad Kenshin. You've got her now though. The million dollar question is do you still want her?"

Kenshin was silent for a moment. "I don't want to know how you know anything about my sex life, or the lack thereof, but how do you know I've got her?"

"I was in the elevator with Megumi, right? Well I could hear Kaoru ranting about how she'd been an idiot to the secretary, who had no frickin' clue what she was talking about, when we were in the lobby. You know my office is on the sixth floor. Then as I was in the parking lot, she opened the window of her office and screamed. When I got back she threw pens at me for not telling her we were related. The woman loves her pens, Kenshin. Trust me, you've got her."

"What's Megumi think?"

"You're cool," Sano assured him, "as long as you work up to it slowly. Women are all about tact n' shit."

Kenshin sighed and sunk down in his seat so he couldn't see the road, just the sky. "She's got too much control over me. She says jump, I jump. She says go, I go."

"That's pretty pathetic," Sano agreed. "What'd I tell you before? We two were not meant to be conquered by women. We were born to do the conquering. Listen to my words of wisdom."

"Like I said before, you're not doing a very good job with Megumi. I'm predicting a female dominated marriage in your future."

Sano grinned. "You're no psychic. She'll come around."


	14. Parking Lot

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**Toy Store**

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**Parking Lot**

**- **

"Do you need me to pick you up?"

"Nah," Misao said lightly. "I'll get a ride home with Aoshi. We're working late on a proposal tonight anyway, so he won't mind. Ugh, I still can't believe my car broke down."

"Don't worry. It happens. And you know Aoshi wouldn't mind driving you home even if your car wasn't broken."

Misao blushed and shook her head. "I don't want to get my hopes up about this one, Kaoru, so don't tease me. Please?"

Kaoru nodded. "Have a good day at work," she said as Misao got out of the car.

"I will. I love this job!" Misao said, enthusiastic once again. She slammed the car door and gave Kaoru a little wave. "See you tonight. I'll be home by eight."

"Cool," Kaoru agreed, deciding to wait a little before driving to work herself and enjoy the day, even if the enjoying took place in a parking lot. This was the first day all year that it was warm enough to drive with the windows down. God, she loved spring.

"Kaoru?" a voice asked hesitantly.

She looked up to find Kenshin smiling down at her.

"Good morning," he said. "On your way to work?"

"Morning. Yeah, I was just dropping Misao off. Her car broke down over the weekend." She hadn't seen him in weeks. She'd been too embarrassed to risk the humiliation of admitting she was wrong. He and Misao occasionally worked together and met for dinner. Misao had invited her once, but she'd made up some excuse to avoid going. Of course Misao had seen through her plan, but she hadn't pressed Kaoru to go.

"Long time no see," he continued. "Misao tells me you're doing well. I hope your family's well, too."

Oh. Kenshin had met her parents at the same time he'd met her. "They're fine. My dad just got five new members in his dojo this past week, and my mother and sister are each healthy. How's your family?" she asked politely. Politeness is fine. As long as they were both polite her embarrassment wouldn't escalate to the next level. "Well, besides Sano since I see him at work every day," she added.

"All fine. I don't think you've met any of them besides Sano."

"No, but he mentions your parents in passing sometimes." She remembered that they were half-brothers and hoped she hadn't said anything offensive.

"Hey, you want to meet me for lunch at Rosas and catch up?"

He said it so casually that Kaoru almost said yes. She couldn't believe he still wanted anything to do with her. Of course, he probably just wanted to rub it in her face that he'd been right and she'd been wrong. Even so, she half wanted to accept the lunch date out of curiosity. It was lucky she already had an appointment.

"I have a business lunch today, but maybe some other time," Kaoru said, sincerely hoping there wouldn't be another time. How much more embarrassing could this get? It was really too bad she'd made that apology promise to Misao. She couldn't break her word twice. She needed to be careful as to the promises she made in the future.

"Oh," he said. He looked a little disappointed. It'd been five months since he'd told her he loved her. Had he still not gotten over it? Kaoru didn't think she was capable of inspiring that high a level of dedication. He was probably just being nice, or he was sad he'd missed the chance to gloat.

"I'm sorry I said those things about Megumi to you," Kaoru said quietly, resisting the urge to look away in embarrassment, "I was wrong." He was silent, so she kept talking. "I was angry that my sister was upset and I couldn't do anything about it, and I honestly thought you'd hurt her. Maybe you don't remember, but it's been on my mind for a while now."

He accepted her apology smoothly, told her he didn't want to make her late for work, and walked away.


	15. Oil Change

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**Toy Store**

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**Oil Change**

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Misao was really lucky it was warm outside again, because if it'd been winter and she'd been this late picking her up, Kaoru would have been angry with her. As it was, she was mildly annoyed, but she'd been in the office all day, and it was such a nice day outside that she was a little grateful Misao was late. And it had been her fault for forgetting to get an oil change for six months anyway. The mechanics said it was a miracle the car had run at all. Where was her father to remind her of things like this? It was lucky Misao's car had been fixed a few days ago, or they both would've had to beg Aoshi for rides, and Kaoru knew he didn't like her as much as he did Misao.

Her cell phone vibrated in her purse. Thank the Lord, it was Misao.

"Where are you?"

Misao's tone was apologetic. "I can't come. I'm working late with Aoshi and then he's taking me out to dinner."

"What!" Kaoru shrieked. "You're ditching me for a man! We swore we'd never do this, Misao!"

"Quit flipping out. I sent Kenshin to pick you up. He said he didn't mind."

"You sent Kenshin!" Kaoru yelled.

"Yeah. He knows where you are since his brother works there. He should be there any moment."

"Any moment!"

"I didn't call you until now to minimize the time I knew you'd spend yelling at me. Smart huh?"

"Misao! Come and get me right now!" Kaoru demanded childishly, just as Kenshin pulled up in front of her in a silver convertible.

"Sorry, Kaoru, but I plan on spending a wonderful night out with Aoshi Shinomori."

"Never mind, dear. I'll talk to you later," Kaoru said sweetly.

Misao started laughing. "He's there, isn't he!"

Kaoru hung up on her.

"Hey," Kenshin said, leaning over so he could see her. "Misao told you I was coming right? You seemed upset when I was pulling up."

"My, um, cousin ate my last carton of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. I just really need some when I get home," Kaoru lied. About her cousin that was. Now that Kenshin was here, she did really need a carton of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.

"I'll buy you some before I drop you at the mechanics and you can eat it in the car," Kenshin said easily. "Hop in."

"Alright," Kaoru said warily, opening the door and slipping into the front passenger seat. It was a nice car. She loved leather interiors. He waited until she shut the door and buckled in before he put his foot on the gas. He drove fast. It was the exact opposite of how she'd thought he would drive. He showed off and drove with his knees, even around corners, and surprisingly, instead of scaring her it made her laugh. He pulled into a gas station, and while he was filling up, bought her half a pint of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream and a whole pack of plastic spoons because they didn't come in singles.

"I've been thinking about what you said on Monday," he said when they were a couple minutes away from the mechanic shop.

"Oh," Kaoru said carefully. She didn't want to risk the new peace and easiness they had between them. It was different from their relationship when he'd been going out with her sister, but she'd found out that she still liked him as a friend, and more importantly, she could probably trust him again. In fact, she did trust him again, although she resented the fact that she was so easily won over.

"And I wish I could take back some of the things I said about your sister. They were uncalled for, and it was immature of me to let my temper take over."

"Don't be so formal, Kenshin. I've already forgotten about it." And she couldn't help smiling at him because it was true and he'd bought her ice cream.

"I wasn't ready for a new relationship anyway. I've been jumping into things before I was ready all my life."

"It's okay," Kaoru assured him, her smile faltering a little. Did this mean he was ready now? Did she want him to be?

He smiled and dropped her off, making sure her car really was fixed before driving away.


	16. The Reception

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**Toy Store**

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**The Reception**

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"Wanna dance?" he asked her, his face slightly flushed. He was a little drunk. It was the first time she'd seen him since the guests shook hands with the wedding party. He'd been the best man.

"Sure," Kaoru nodded, setting down her punch glass (someone had spiked the punch) and taking the hand he offered. "Megumi's beautiful tonight," she said, catching a glimpse of the bride in the crowd.

"Yeah. Sano's lucky," Kenshin agreed leading her into the middle of the dance floor as a slow number started. "I'm lucky too." He grinned down at her as he placed his hands on her waist and she lifted her arms to rest on his shoulders.

It was funny. She hadn't actually looked at him before. Now she saw why her sister had wanted to go out with him in the first place. He was handsome; not tall dark and handsome, like Misao's Aoshi, but his features were exotic. Red hair, but no freckles, and as tan as Sano, fine features, marred only by a cross shaped scar (she wished she knew where he'd picked that one up), and then deep violet eyes, sometimes more navy blue than violet. She found she loved the way his hair fell across his forehead, and she hadn't realized how long it was before. How did he manage to keep it so neat looking all the time?

"What?" he asked softly. And then there was the way he was looking at her. She hadn't realized until this moment, but it was the way he looked at her every time he looked at her. Only now, because he was a little drunk, he had a harder time hiding it.

She smiled and slid her arms around his neck, pressing close and leaning her head against his shoulder. He held her to him. "Nothing," she said, remembering she had to answer.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" he asked after a moment. She could feel his voice against her chest as they relaxed against each other. He was tense most of the time, or maybe only most of the time she'd known him. When he'd driven her to the mechanic shop he'd relaxed, once he discovered she wasn't going to yell at him or apologize to him, or bring up awkward moments. But he hadn't been this relaxed. He was enjoyable relaxed.

She closed her eyes. "Are you?" she asked.

"It's my brother's wedding," he replied. "But what about you?"

She smiled although he couldn't see it. "What would you do if I said I was having a horrible time?"

"How could you? You're dancing with me."

Sano would have said something like that. It was all too clear, the fact that they were brothers. "Funny," she commented, opening her eyes and lifting her head from his shoulder.

"You're having a good time," he said confidently, "but you don't want to admit it." He leaned back to look at her, a barely suppressed smile quirking his lips at a funny angle. "You're funny, Kaoru."

"I am?"

"Yeah," he observed. "And it's not just because everything's funny tonight. Did Sano spike the punch?"

"I don't know, but someone did."

Kenshin nodded. "He told me he would, but I've only had wine and champagne and mixed drinks, so I don't know."

Kaoru made a face. "Are you an alcoholic?"

He laughed. "No. I never drink this much. Are you?"

"I don't have the passion for it," she said. She was starting to think he was more than just a little tipsy.

"Passion, huh?" he said thoughtfully.

"Yeah. Passion. To be an alcoholic, I'd need a passion for oblivion. You said you jump into things. The things I do, I'm too passionate."

He smirked and considered this quietly. She knew it wasn't news to him. If she had tighter control over her feelings, she wouldn't have held a blind grudge against him.

The dance ended and they stepped away from each other. "Later?" he asked.

Kaoru nodded even though she wasn't sure what 'later' meant, and watched as he turned and walked away into the crowd. Snapping herself out of whatever funk she'd settled into, she turned away and promptly bumped into a sharply dressed, almost feminine looking man. "I'm sorry," she apologized.

"No, no, honey, it's my fault," he gushed. "I was trying to catch my brother-in-law before he ran off. Did he tell you where he went by any chance?"

"Do I know him?" Kaoru asked in confusion.

He laughed. "You were just dancing with him. Are you two going out? You look cute together. It's about time he got another girlfriend."

"Kenshin's your brother-in-law?" Kaoru asked in amazement.

"Well, duh! Weren't you paying attention during the wedding toasts, silly?"

"I must have missed that one," Kaoru excused herself. "So you're married to who?"

"Kenshin's sister. She's the oldest of the three of them, but don't go spreading that around. My wife is very sensitive about her age, which I'm sure you can totally understand."

"Oh yes," Kaoru agreed a little uncomfortably. "I'm Kaoru Kamiya," she introduced herself, holding out a hand.

He shook hers. "I'm sorry! I've been rude. I'm Kamatari Honjo."

"Did you find Kenshin?" a voice asked, a little annoyed. Kaoru watched as he slid his arm around the waist of one of the most beautiful women Kaoru had ever seen. Her calm and serenity contrasted against her husband's flurry of motion.

"No, but I found his girlfriend," Kamatari told his wife. They both looked at Kaoru, who immediately blushed.

"Hello. I'm Tomoe Honjo, Sano and Kenshin's sister," the woman said, extending an elegant hand, which Kaoru shook. The annoyance was instantly gone from Tomoe's tone, replaced with just the right amount of interest to be gracious.

"Kaoru Kamiya. Pleased to meet you. And I'm not his girlfriend or anything," Kaoru said, because it was true. "Just a friend," she added.

"Kenshin's mentioned you to me in passing," Tomoe said politely. "It's nice to meet you."

Kamatari was watching their interaction with raised eyebrows. Kaoru hoped it was because he was surprised at the change in his wife, because if Tomoe acted like this all the time, it wouldn't be much fun being married to her.

"Is this a party in the middle of the dance floor, or is it a party?" Sano broke in, relieving some of the tension as he appeared next to his sister with his arm around his new bride.

"Congrats again, you two," Kamatari said before either Kaoru or Tomoe could speak. "I just love your dress, Megumi. Is that Belgian lace?"

"I don't remember anymore," Megumi said blithely. "I'm too happy."

"Awww," Kamatari said sympathetically. "I'll remember for you when you come back to your senses, okay?"

Sano frowned. Tomoe frowned and elbowed her husband.

"Sticks and stones, Kamatari, sticks and stones," Megumi said, beaming.

"Congratulations," Kaoru broke in, to relieve some of the tension. They really weren't doing well as a group. "The wedding went wonderfully and the reception's a blast. Thanks for inviting me."

"We've worked together for the past two years, Missy, of course I invited you," Sano said, focusing on Kaoru with a lazy smile.

"Oh give me a hug," Tomoe said to him tearfully, breaking out of her genteel shell and holding out her arms. "My little brother's married." Kaoru smiled because that meant Tomoe really wasn't all civility and no emotion. It also meant she just didn't like Kaoru, but it wasn't as if Kaoru was really Kenshin's girlfriend and had to worry about his family liking hers.

Sano grinned down at his sister and obeyed, winking at the rest of them. "It's a miracle, right? Even Megumi had doubts once in a while, didn't you honey?"

Megumi shook her head. "Not one."


	17. Her Sister's House II

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**Her Sister's House II  
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"Guess what, Kaoru?"

"Why'd you made me drive all the way to your house instead of just calling you?"

"Stop whining," her sister scoffed. "It's not that far. Anyway, I wanted to tell you in person. Tom asked me to marry him and I said yes!"

"Congratulations!" Kaoru exclaimed, throwing her arms around her sister.

"Thank you!"

"I didn't know you two were so serious. When did this happen?"

"It's not sudden. We've been serious for a couple months now. I think you've had a certain man of your own on your mind," her sister teased.

"Alright, show me the rock," Kaoru demanded to change the topic.

"I knew you'd say that," her sister said, holding out her left hand for Kaoru's inspection. "Don't you just love it? Those are pink sapphires around that diamond."

"Do Mom and Dad know?"

"Of course! Tom went and asked Daddy permission to marry me before he asked me. Can you believe it? He's so old fashioned. I really don't know why he's interested in me," she said with a huge smile on her face.

"Because you're wonderful, that's why," Kaoru told her, hugging her sister again.

"I know! And this means you can date Kenshin without guilt. I'm so happy for both of us."

"Who says I'm dating Kenshin?" Kaoru asked in surprise.

"I do talk to Misao you know. I managed to hear a bit about your sex life while Misao was jabbering on to me about hers. Aoshi Shinomori sounds drool-worthy," her sister said with a grin.

"Aoshi's hot, but I do not, I repeat, not, have a sex life with Kenshin," Kaoru said defensively. "He hasn't even kissed me."

"Oh please!" her sister broke in, "The words 'hasn't even' give you away, my dear sister. You are too in love with him," her sister declared practically bouncing. "Be honest," she implored.

"Am not," Kaoru said stubbornly.

"Kaoru!"

"Fine. I may want him to kiss me," Kaoru confessed, "but honestly, I'm not in love with him. I don't want to be in love with anyone. It's too much."

"You won't be able to help it. And when you do have sex with him I want to know how it was, you virgin."

Kaoru colored. "I am not a virgin," she said sulkily.

"What," her sister shrieked. "Daddy's going to kill you!"


	18. Porch Steps

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**Porch Steps  
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"Okay. I'm going to go to sleep now because I've had such a long tiring time-consuming week that I'm utterly and entirely exhausted. My very bones are sleepy," Misao announced.

Kaoru raised an eyebrow. "They are?"

"Yes. And I wouldn't want to be a downer and yawn the whole time Kenshin's here, so I'm just going to sleep, even though it's Friday night."

"You're trying to set me up with him," Kaoru accused.

"Shhh," Misao hissed, peeking into their kitchen where Kenshin was washing the dishes. He'd lost rock-paper-scissors. "Duh, I'm setting you guys up. He didn't look at anything but you all through dinner and you know it. If Aoshi wasn't away this weekend I'd just leave and not come back until Sunday or something, but he is, so I'm bound and determined to go to sleep, and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"

Kenshin had driven Misao home from work since her car had died and she hadn't had time to go shopping for a new one yet. Kaoru hadn't been able to pick her up because she'd been flying back from a conference in New York that evening. She'd been filling in for Sano, who was in the middle of his honeymoon with Megumi. Misao had invited Kenshin to stay for dinner in the hopes that Kaoru would get back in time to join them, and as luck would have it, she had.

"Misao-" Kaoru started, but her housemate cut her off by dragging her into the kitchen as Kenshin was drying the last dish. He'd insisted on doing the dishes alone, saying he'd lost fair and square. Kaoru hadn't complained since she'd wanted to ask Misao why he was there in the first place. If Kenshin had a compulsion to clean, then by all means, let him clean.

"Hey," he said, turning to greet them. Kaoru frowned a little. He'd heard them too soon. He either had excellent hearing, or it was that martial arts training she'd heard so much about but never seen.

"Hi, Kenshin," Misao said with a loud yawn, releasing Kaoru's arm. Kaoru couldn't tell if she'd faked it. Misao always had been a good actress. "I'm headed to bed now. You know how long the week was for me, with Aoshi gone."

Kenshin nodded. "I still can't believe they stuck you with the Brenington file."

Misao rolled her eyes. "I know, right. But it was no big deal. I'll see you on Monday, bright and early."

"Good night."

"You too. See you later, Kaoru," Misao said with a wink before making her exit.

"Headed out?" Kaoru asked after a moment of silence, "You probably had a long week at work too."

He shrugged and moved towards the door to get his jacket. "Yeah, I think I'll go home and sleep. Work sucked this week. I'm drained, and Sano's moved out now, so it's not like I was doing much besides eating and sleeping after work all week."

Kaoru smiled. "No wild Friday night plans?"

He shook his head. "No time to make any. I was too hung over from the wedding to think on Monday, and by Tuesday I was drowning in Shinomori's work. He picked a convenient week to visit foreign clients."

"Smart man," she commented as she opened the front door for him.

"He is," Kenshin agreed, walking out and turning to face her. "Thanks for dinner again. I had a great time."

"No problem. Do you mind if I ask you something?" Kaoru glanced back at the stairwell before she decided Misao was probably listening in the shadows at the top of the landing. She was good at that. The girl should've been born a ninja. Yes. A ninja actress. Kaoru stepped outside onto the steps with Kenshin and shut the door behind her.

"You can ask," Kenshin said with a shrug, looking amused at her display of secrecy.

"Is Aoshi Shinomori good for her?"

The porch light wasn't on, so she couldn't read his expression. She was taller now, standing on the top step with him two steps down. It was a change.

"What do you mean 'good for her'?" he asked. "I'm not a relationship counselor."

"But you know Aoshi," Kaoru pointed out. "I don't. I want to know if he cares about her, because I do and no matter how hard I try, I can't read the man."

Kenshin smiled as he watched her frown. "A lot of people have that problem with Shinomori. Don't worry. Misao's the one that has to read him anyway." He turned and walked down the last step. "Later?" he asked as he continued down the walk through her small front yard to his car.

Kaoru huffed as she realized he hadn't told her anything and, for that matter, he wasn't going to tell her anything. In fact, he'd quite nicely told her it was none of her business, which, she realized, it wasn't. "Later," she answered him.


	19. Couch

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"So what did you come here to tell me to do?"

"I don't know what you mean. I came to keep you company for a little while. It's the first time you've lived on your own. Don't you miss Sano?"

"You didn't drive fifty miles in the rain after an eight hour work day to talk about Sano."

His sister sat down on the couch next to him. "You're right." She took the TV remote from him and turned off the television. "I know you won't like what I'm going to say," she began serenely, watching his eyes. "Since the wedding, I've been trying to think of a way to get you to do what I want you to do. But I can't. And after talking with Kamatari, I realized I can't protect you anymore." She paused and took his hands in hers. "But Kenshin, I'm going to try."

She certainly could work herself up emotionally; he'd always given her credit for that. It was scary, the way she got so calm while she spouted increasingly irrational things right in your face and expected you to believe them. Most of the time he wound up doing what as she asked-recommended-commanded, because she was his older sister and he both loved and respected her.

"Break up with Kaoru." She said, ever the picture of poise.

Most of the time he did.

"Kaoru Kamiya?" he asked, just to clarify and maybe postpone the argument she had ready for him. He should've known this would be the one time he didn't feel up to an argument, damn it was a miserable day, but he would have to argue.

"You don't know more than one Kaoru," she said, glaring at him in the way that reminded him that she was the bossy older sister and that he almost hated her when she forced him to do things against his will. Like that time when she was eight and he was five and she made him eat the worm she'd found in the yard. The thing was eight inches long!

"Why should I break up with Kaoru?" he asked, which was a legitimate reason, since he wasn't exactly going out with Kaoru.

"She's wrong for you. I glanced at her and knew right away what she was thinking. You don't need a woman that wears her emotions for the whole world to see. She obviously has no control over them."

Kenshin shrugged. "She's honest. I always know where I stand with her."

"She's immature. You can't spend your life waiting for her to grow up," Tomoe reasoned calmly.

"She's not immature. She's a straightforward, twenty-five year old woman, and moaning about her existence isn't going to change my opinion of her."

She believed him, he could see it in her eyes. She wasn't happy about it, but she knew she wasn't going to change his opinion of Kaoru by talking to him.

"Did you know she can't cook?" Tomoe tried. "Sano told me."

Kenshin laughed. "I can cook." He paused and met his sister's eyes. "Why don't you like her? You don't have a reason not to like her."

Tomoe looked down at their joined hands, bangs covering her dark eyes. "I saw you dancing with her at the wedding. You were a little drunk, and at first I looked so I could laugh at you later, but then I saw the way you were looking at her, and the way she was looking at you." She shrugged because she didn't seem to be able to do anything else. "You're the baby brother."

"I'm only three years younger than you."

"But you're the baby, and babies aren't supposed to be in love with strange women who their families don't know."

"I'm twenty-six, and Sano knows her."

"He's the middle child. He doesn't count," Tomoe told him with a faint smile.

"Don't judge her the next time you meet her," Kenshin said. "I think you would get along with her. She kind of," he paused to find the right word, "counter-balances you."

Tomoe laughed. "I really doubt that, Kenshin."

He sighed. His sister was stuck up in her own way, had always been stuck up, but it was one of the things he loved about her. "You staying for dinner?"

She smiled the classic Tomoe half-smile he'd seen on her face in the pictures of her as a baby, before Sano had been born even, and those two were only twelve months apart. His sister did have class.


	20. Emotion

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"Tomoe Honjo?" Kaoru exclaimed in surprise. Eleven o'clock at night and Kenshin's sister, who she thought lived somewhere far far away, was standing at her door in the rain, dripping water off the front of her umbrella and onto the welcome mat just inside the front door.

"May I come in for a moment, Ms. Kamiya?" she asked demurely.

Kaoru's eyes widened. "Oh yes! Yes, of course. I'm sorry I didn't ask," Kaoru said, stepping aside and holding the door open wide. "I'm just so surprised to see you. Can I take your jacket?" she asked, shutting the door behind her guest.

"No, thank you. I won't be staying long," she told her, holding her wet umbrella above the mat so it wouldn't drip on the floor.

"How can I help you?" Kaoru asked politely.

"I've just come from Kenshin's. Forgive the late hour, but after speaking with him, I feel I must tell you that I do not approve of you."

"Excuse me?"

"My family has been through more than I hope you'll ever know, Ms. Kamiya. I'm of the opinion that a person of your," she paused, "frankly, of your innocence and all too obvious display of emotion, simply is not the right fit for my brother."

" 'All too obvious display of emotion?' " Kaoru repeated incredulously.

"Yes. I can read your thoughts by your facial expressions. One must be able to keep at least those secret in my family on occasion. You would fail miserably."

"What right do you have to come into my house at eleven o'clock at night and insult me, Mrs. Honjo?" Kaoru said frostily. "And all because you've designated yourself as your brother's keeper. He's old enough to take care of himself."

"I'm sorry you feel that I'm insulting you, Ms. Kamiya. I am merely stating the truth. I'm not certain as to the depth of your relationship with my brother, but I'd suggest, for your sake, that you start slowly surfacing from that ocean."

"The ocean of our relationship?" Kaoru asked in disgust.

"If you want to call it that," Tomoe said evenly, reaching behind her to open the door. "Like I said, surface slowly, or you'll come up too fast and get the bends."

"The bends?"

"When a scuba diver breathes underwater, some amount of nitrogen from the air dissolves in the water in his or her body. If the diver swims quickly to the surface, it's just like uncorking a bottle of soda – the gas is released as nitrogen bubbles in the blood." She turned and walked back into the rain. "Good night, Ms. Kamiya."


	21. Welcome

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** Welcome**

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"Kamat-" Kaoru started before she was cut off by a suffocating hug.

"Who? What the-" Misao asked at the same time from behind her.

"Oh, Kaoru! It's horrible!" Kamatari exclaimed, releasing her to pick up two suitcases and bring them inside the door. "Tomoe and I had a huge fight. I need a place to stay for a month or until we work things out. Please please, can I stay with you? She'd never look for me here."

"Of course," Misao said graciously, jumping into the conversation. "I didn't know you two were having marital problems."

Misao probably hadn't known Kenshin's sister was married.

Misao tugged on Kaoru's sleeve. "Introduce us."

"Oh! Misao, this is Kamatari Honjo, Kenshin's brother-in-law. Remember I told you I met him at Sano's wedding? And Kamatari, this is Misao Makimachi, my best friend, and also my housemate."

"Pleased to meet you," Kamatari said. "Thanks so much for letting me stay. It'll only be for a month tops, I promise. I'll pay you a thousand dollars rent. I'm good for it. I can still go to work. I brought my car. I parked it in the driveway if you don't mind."

"It's fine, it's fine," Kaoru assured him. "Are you going to tell Kenshin about this? He comes over sometimes."

Kamatari's eyes widened dramatically. "I can't tell Kenshin! He'll tell Tomoe! And you can't tell Sano either. Even if he doesn't tell his sister, he'll tell Megumi, and she'll tell Tomoe. She'd do it out of spite. We don't exactly get along."

"Of course we won't tell," Misao assured him. "You can stay in the guest room. We don't have guests often, especially paying ones. I can't believe your wife threw you out, you poor man!"

"We have to tell Kenshin," Kaoru broke in.

"What?" Misao and Kamatari asked in unison. "Why?"

Kaoru sighed. "I can't keep things from him. He'll know I have a secret." She wondered if maybe Tomoe was right about her after all. The woman was paranoid and Kaoru could think of no reason why she could be a burden for Kenshin merely because she was honest, but the woman was right. Kaoru had never been able to hide her emotions very well.

"We'll blackmail him into promising not to tell her," Kamatari said. "He's very ticklish."

"Tickle torture!" Misao exclaimed. "Kaoru, you and I'll jump him as soon as he gets in the door. He trusts us. He'll never suspect."

"He probably won't come around for a while since it's the end of the business semester at your work, right Misao?" Kaoru rationalized, a little leery of blackmailing anyone, and she certainly wasn't going to give Kenshin tickle-torture. She hadn't used tickle torture since college, and certainly not for any serious blackmail. Misao and Kamatari were a little scary in their enthusiasm.

The other woman nodded. "That's right! There'll be a lot more work than usual, and when Tomoe tells him you're gone, Kamatari, he'll have to visit her and that's a long drive to make after work, so he won't have time enough in the day to drop and visit Kaoru."

"He doesn't come to visit just me," Kaoru protested, all too aware that she was in the presence of one of Kenshin's relatives.

"Oh please," Misao scoffed, "he sees me at work every day and there's nothing between us at all. Since there's no one else living in this house, it's got to be you, Kaoru."

"I completely agree." Kamatari nodded. "I'm just surprised he's being so subtle about his feelings for you. Of course, his other girlfriends were witches," he added matter-of-factly. "Maybe it just seemed like he was starting those relationships fast because I didn't want him too." He trailed off thoughtfully. "Oh, except for your sister, of course."

It was going to be a thorn in her side the rest of her life, the fact that Kenshin had gone out with her sister first. Kaoru could see that now. And did Kamatari have to bring up the past girlfriends issue?

"Never mind that," Kaoru said hurriedly. "If you're sure you need to stay with us, why don't you set your luggage down and we'll show you where your room is."

"You're right," Kamatari agreed, "Ladies, I'm so glad you're letting me stay! I don't know what I would do without you!"

"We couldn't let you sleep out on the street!" Misao exclaimed. "Here, I'll help you get your stuff upstairs and we can talk. I bet you need to talk about it, don't you?"

Kamatari nodded miserably. "I've got two more bags in the car. It's unlocked, so I'll just go and get them-"

"Nonsense," Misao interrupted, "You need to rest after the stressful day you've had. Kaoru will get them. And then she'll get the ice cream."

"Chocolate, please," Kamatari requested miserably as Misao lifted his suitcases.

"Of course, of course," Misao soothed. "Just follow me. How long was your drive?"

Her voice drifted from Kaoru's hearing as she walked up the stairs and Kaoru went outside to get the rest of Kamatari's luggage. The man seemed honestly distressed at his argument with his wife, more upset than the average man even. But all the same she wondered what had made him come here when the world was so huge and so vast. He must have other friends, someone else he could count on if he needed a place to stay.

Then again, maybe he didn't.


	22. Surprise Surprise

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"Himura followed me home from work," Misao screeched as she burst in the door. Kamatari had been staying with them for two days. "We've got to get ready; he'll be here any second!"

"What?" Kaoru asked, upset. "But Kamatari's not even home yet! How'd you beat him back anyway? He drives faster than you."

"I sent him for ice cream and avoided the cops while I broke several traffic laws," Misao said, slamming the door behind her and dropping her briefcase on the floor. "How are we going to do this?"

"Um," Kaoru tried to focus. "I'll answer the door and we'll all just sit down in the living room, and I'll explain the whole thing to Kenshin, hopefully before Kamatari comes back. Sounds like a plan?" Kaoru asked as she peeked out the front window and saw Kenshin pulling up in the driveway.

"That's not a plan!" Misao shrieked. "Kenshin's scary when he's mad, Kaoru. We can't let him get angry!"

"Ah, you're right!" Kaoru admitted. Kenshin was scary when he was upset. The time he'd been angry at her, she'd been too cross to feel anything besides adrenaline and resentment, but to stand here and wait for him to blow up, without the force of her own fury to hide behind… She wasn't looking forward that. "Maybe this isn't such a good idea. You answer the door. He'll know I'm hiding something."

"You're right," Misao agreed, nodding her head furiously. "I'll answer it and then you come out and hug him."

"I don't ever hug him!"

"You do when you need to tickle him," Misao informed her bossily.

"What," Kaoru exclaimed. "I can't just randomly start tickling him after I randomly hugged him! This is crazy, Misao. Think of something else."

"Hey, do you want Kamatari to walk in here before we soften Kenshin up a little? He's due back any minute, Kaoru." Misao watched Kaoru's face for expressions of rebellion, but other woman looked momentarily defeated. She continued. "Then, while you're hugging him, I'll tackle him from behind and we'll start the tickle torture. Quick," Misao made shooing motions with her hands, "Go in the kitchen and act like you just heard the door or something and didn't know he was coming. I'll back you up."

Grumbling, Kaoru retreated into the kitchen just as they heard a knock on the door. She was not going to start randomly tickling Kenshin! Sure she'd hug him. They did need to soften him up a little, prepare him maybe, but she wasn't really afraid of Kenshin flipping out on them. It wasn't like he was going to turn into a rabid dog and start biting them on the side or something. She was really afraid of him seeing it as betrayal, as her betraying him. She was afraid of what that would do to their relationship. Thin and flimsy as it had been, it had grown and thickened and toughened and now she thought she might just- Misao opened the door and greeted him. Taking a deep breathe, Kaoru pasted the most cheerful smile imaginable on her face and walked into the hallway.

He was still dressed in his work clothes, holding a plastic bag from the corner store, and smiling at Misao as she reached out to take it from him. Kaoru realized she felt guilty. Was it fair of them to think they could make him promise to lie to his sister for a whole month? But she'd heard Kamatari's story, and she'd promised him, damnit, promised him she would get Kenshin to keep the secret from Tomoe. She couldn't break her promise.

She watched as Kenshin glanced up and saw her, watched the way his eyes softened a little, softened with trust, she thought guiltily as he smiled at her, and for an instant her smile almost faltered. But she remembered what Tomoe had said to her. For some reason, this family held secrets, and she didn't agree with that, but she could hold this one just once, just for a few moments, to prove to herself that what Tomoe had said was ridiculous.

"Everything alright?" he asked instead of his usual hello, as she'd known he would, because she couldn't show him an emotion that wasn't real, even if she wanted to. She could lie to the rest of the world, but she couldn't lie to Kenshin. Why couldn't she lie to Kenshin?

"Is everything ever alright?" she asked him as she walked forward, knowing that was the wrong thing to say, because that wasn't the way she usually thought at all, no, only in these moments when she had to lie. Behind him, Misao's eyes widened a little in alarm. Kaoru focused on the fact that she was happy to see him, because she really was more happy than dismayed. But still, there was the dismay. He'd see it soon, if he hadn't already. "How was your day at work?" she asked him as she went in for the hug.

He froze for a moment, in surprise, she assumed, and she realized she was actually going to go along with Misao and Kamatari's crazy plan as she used his stiff surprise as her excuse to tickle him. He started laughing and jerked violently away, so suddenly and so surprisingly that she let go.

"Wow, you really are ticklish," she said, blinking in surprise because he was still laughing.

"Who told you?" he managed just before Misao worked up enough guts to go for his neck with light fingers and he started laughing again. Kaoru couldn't help laughing as he collapsed onto the floor and curled up in a ball in a vain attempt to protect himself, practically shrieking with laughter as she joined Misao in executing the tickle torture. She hadn't done this on one of her peers since college, but hey, college had been one of the best times of her life.

"Okay, Kenshin. You have to promise us one thing before we'll stop," Kaoru yelled over his laughter, and over Misao's laughter. The woman was having a little too much fun torturing him.

"What! What!" he breathed, his face flushing red. It was fascinating, the utter lack of control he had over himself while he was laughing, albeit laughing against his will. She hadn't recognized the degree of control he kept himself under, not until now. She smiled wider, witnessing him like this, a vowed to make him lose control more often, even if she had to resort to immature tickle tortures now and then.

In the end, she couldn't make him promise to keep secrets from his sister. She'd still do her best for Kamatari, but she couldn't betray Kenshin's trust. "You have to promise to hear out a certain person who'll be coming here soon," she said. "You have to hear him out before you react."

"Okay, okay, just stop!"

"Promise?" Misao asked, stopping, but jabbing his side just to watch him jump.

"I promise," he said, sitting up and sliding away from both of them. "What was that for?"

Kaoru shrugged and grinned wickedly. "Fun."

"So much fun," Misao exclaimed. "I didn't know you were so ticklish!"

"You're really getting a kick out of this aren't you?" he asked, rubbing his side, probably conscious that his stomach was sore from laughing.

"It's the little things, Himura, the little things."

"Kaoru, help me up. I trust you more than Misao," Kenshin said, holding up a hand.

"Sure," she said, and walked over to him. She was hauling him up at the same moment that the front door opened and there was Kamatari, looking surprised, she realized, just before she realized that she was equally as surprised. She let go of Kenshin, but he didn't let go of her because he was also equally as surprised, and he wasn't standing yet, so he accidentally pulled her down and he landed back on the floor and somehow she landed in his lap.

"Kamatari," he said in amazement. He seemed completely oblivious to the fact that Kaoru was sitting in his lap, and as long as he didn't notice, she wasn't about to be the embarrassing one to point it out.

"Hello, Kenny," Kamatari said cheerfully. "Hi, girls. It's not my turn for dinner, is it?"

"It's mine," Misao said cheerfully. "We're having lasagna tonight. Himura brought ice cream for dinner because I made him do it."

"Dinner?" Kenshin asked, still seemingly unaware of Kaoru in his lap, although he had to look over her head to see his brother-in-law.

"Is there some reason you're in Kenny's lap, Kaoru?" Kamatari asked, even though he'd seen them fall. He just had to say it because he was Kamatari, Kaoru realized.

And then the whole thing fell apart.


	23. Trust II

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"Kenshin, I'm sorry," she said. She'd walked him out and they were standing in the middle of the lawn.

"For what? It was all Kamatari," he said, feeling himself again, not as shell-shocked as he'd been earlier that evening. Seeing Kamatari still gave him a shock when he'd prepared himself to see him, and he certainly hadn't expected to ever run into the man in Kaoru's house. He could still remember his family's reaction when Tomoe had announced her engagement to Kamatari. He'd thought his father was going to have a heart attack, and his mother had choked on a piece of bread she'd been chewing. Luckily, Sano had known the Heimlich maneuver.

"I didn't trust you to hear him out," Kaoru admitted. She was clearly ashamed. All of a sudden he felt horrible that he'd caused her this much worry. "He had some crazy idea that you'd pull out your cell phone and call Tomoe the instant you saw him," Kaoru continued, watching his eyes carefully for his reaction. He knew it frustrated her sometimes, that she couldn't read him easily. "Kamatari's emotional and needy right now, especially about Tomoe."

"I know he is. It took me about a year to figure out why she married a guy who cries over black and white movies," he said in an effort to lighten the mood.

"Kenshin, I trust you," Kaoru plowed on, probably determined to ignore the black and white movie detail. "And the next time I want you to listen, I'll just ask. I'm sorry I didn't this time."

"It's alright, Kaoru." Kenshin said, a little amused at Kaoru's need to apologize. It wasn't every day he got attacked by two women bent on tickling him to get what they wanted. He'd definitely tease her about that later. "I'm going to visit Tomoe tomorrow. She hasn't even admitted to me that he's gone. Maybe she'll tell me and we can get them back together. I'll visit here on Friday if I find out anything useful."

Kaoru nodded. That was good. Finally, she'd stopped apologizing.

"And listen, it's me that should apologize to you and Misao. I'm sorry my family is inconveniencing you with our problems."

Kaoru shook her head. "Misao and I are happy to have company. We both love the extra noise. It's no problem, Kenshin. Maybe you'll come over more, now that Kamatari's here?" she asked, glancing away for a moment. He loved the way she said his name. Yep, he was still in love with her. And the way she'd looked at him, he knew she was feeling something.

"I will," he answered. "And you're invited to my place when you need to get away, which you will after a week with Kamatari."

Kaoru smiled up at him and he saw that she did trust him. Completely. He'd wanted her to for so long, and now that she did it almost overwhelmed him. What had he done to deserve that? To deserve her? Her eyes were midnight blue in the evening light. "Thanks," she said. "Now I won't have to go into the woods and scream. That's what I do when I get tired of Misao."

"I heard that!" Misao yelled from an open window. Kenshin watched confusion and then irritation bloom across Kaoru's face at the interruption.

"Misao!" Kaoru yelled, turning around to face the house. "Why are you listening to our conversation?"

"I wasn't until I heard Himura say my name. It's not my fault I have excellent hearing," Misao defended herself.

"No you don't! You're just nosy," Kaoru declared, hands on her hips.

"Stop yelling before you wake the whole neighborhood," Misao admonished, slamming the window shut loud enough to wake the whole neighborhood, who had no business being asleep at eight in late spring anyway, and retreating away from the window.

"She is nosy," Kaoru informed Kenshin, turning around to face him once again.

He laughed and started walking towards his car. "I'll see you the day after tomorrow."


	24. Her Living Room II

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"Lunch on Monday, right?" Kaoru asked, plopping down next to Kenshin on the couch with a bowl of popcorn. Misao and Kamatari were out grocery shopping. Kaoru certainly wasn't complaining about that. She hated grocery shopping with Misao because she had to check each purchase three times to make sure she was getting the best price, and the woman never wanted to go alone. Kamatari had moved in barely five days ago and Kaoru already had a hard time remembering how it had been without him. All the chores she didn't like to do, he did. He'd even taken over her cooking night in exchange for her washing the dishes.

"I won't forget." Kenshin took the popcorn bowl from her hands and put it on the living room table in front of them. "Want to do something non-adult-related, like play laser tag with me tomorrow? The tickle torture has got me feeling thirteen again."

He would probably tease her about that for the rest of their lives. Little did he know, she wasn't above doing it again. "As long as you're treating," Kaoru agreed.

"I'm only treating you. Misao and Kamatari can pay for themselves."

"I think Misao's got a date with Aoshi," Kaoru remembered. And then because Kamatari didn't strike her as the physical type at all, she asked, "Does Kamatari do that kind of thing?"

"He and Tomoe go all the time," Kenshin assured her. "On second thought, maybe we shouldn't ask him. He gets all emotional whenever he says her name and if we go there-"

"He's going to start thinking about her," Kaoru cut in with dismay.

"And then talking about her," Kenshin continued.

"And he'll wind up crying," Kaoru finished. It had happened before. She couldn't have cereal for breakfast without a long teary spiel on how Tomoe loved Captain Crunch, and that sucked because her mind was always too jumbled to make anything else in the morning.

"I never thought it would get to the point where I flinch at the sound of my sister's name," Kenshin commented, leaning forward and grabbing a handful of popcorn.

They both thought for a moment.

"What about the zoo?" Kaoru asked.

Kenshin shook his head. "They used to go there together before they started dating."

"The amusement park?"

"Their first date."

"The skating rink?" Kaoru tried.

"Tomoe used to work there over the summer."

"The park?"

Kenshin shook his head again. "He asked her to marry him in a park."

"How about we see a movie?"

"Their first kiss was in a movie theater."

"Bowling?"

Kenshin tossed some popcorn into his mouth. "They're both in the same bowling league."

Kaoru rolled her eyes. He was talking with his mouth full. "A museum?"

"Tomoe paints."

"The mall?"

"They love shopping together."

Kaoru gave up with a long sigh. "Jeez. Hopefully one of us will think of something later."

"If we don't, I'll pick you up at nine and Kamatari's gift'll be having the house to himself for a day while we go play laser tag."

"You're such a wonderful person," Kaoru said sarcastically. "Sounds like a plan though. What movie did you bring?"

"Jackie Chan seemed to fit your mood on the phone."

"I have moods on the phone?"

"You're pretty easy to read, Kaoru."

"Am I?" she asked, amused. She and Kenshin were getting along again, actually loose around each other. It probably had something to do with the lap incident. You had to feel comfortable around a guy whose lap you'd spent time in, that or you wanted to run every time you saw him. But she also remembered what Tomoe had said, about her being easy to read and that being bad. Why, why why did Kenshin's sister disapprove of her? Kamatari liked her well enough. Weren't married couples supposed to think alike after a while? Perhaps they hadn't been married long enough.

"You don't really want to wake up before nine just to go play laser tag," Kenshin was saying, "but because you're so desperate for my attention, you'll sacrifice your Saturday morning to hang out with me for the whole day."

Tomoe would probably come around. Smiling, Kaoru shook her head. "Why do I hang out with you again?"

"Because I beat Aoshi in rock-paper-scissors."

Kaoru laughed. "Is that how you two decide who drives Misao home?"

"Sure is. Her car dying really helped shift their relationship into gear," he said. Kaoru groaned at the sheer corniness of that pun, but he merely grinned at her and continued. "You know why she and Kamatari took two cars to the grocery store? So she can load the food into his car and then drive off in your car to see Aoshi."

"Leaving me to put the groceries away," Kaoru said, realizing the utter genius of Misao's plan. "I should've known. People don't go to the grocery store in heels and ballroom dresses." She sighed. "Ah well, I wasn't going anywhere with you coming over anyway."

"I still can't believe you made me cook dinner," Kenshin remembered indignantly, "I'm supposed to be the guest."

"You have to earn your keep," Kaoru defended her hostess skills.

"You sound like an old lady preaching at her forty year old son."

"Don't worry, Kenshin. You've got years until you're forty. Although it's really too bad about the thirty situation," she added.

"You suck. You know that, right?"

"It's all in the way you look at it," Kaoru said wisely, and ordered him to turn on the movie.

He grumbled, but let her have the last word and pressed the play button on the remote. She enjoyed being with Kenshin. It wasn't just the fact that their personalities clicked either. It was something she could feel between them, something she couldn't place. Yet. She was willing to find out, and she thought he was too, considering the abuse she'd rained down on him in the past. Oops.

"I've been really rotten to you," Kaoru reflected. "You must be the most tolerant man in the world. I don't know why you put up with me back then."

"Me either."

"Kenshin!" Kaoru protested.

"What? I was being honest!" He was laughing at her.

"Hey!" she exclaimed.

"Alright, alright. I lied when I said I was being honest. Are you happy now?"

"No," she said sulkily, happy all the same that he was teasing her.

"Fine. I'll never make you dinner again."

Kaoru's eyes widened. "I take it back. I'm happy! I'm enthusiastic! I'm on cloud nine!"

Kenshin laughed at her as the phone rang. They were both acting immature, both acting silly tonight. She really just wanted to kiss him, to kiss him and see what happened, feel how it turned out. But she didn't dare. So Kaoru stuck her tongue out at him and went into the kitchen to answer the phone.

"Hello?"

"Kaoru it's me," her sister whispered. "You've got to come to my apartment right now. Tom's drunk and he's scaring me."

"Call the cops," Kaoru said right away, because they could get there quicker than she could. Her sister lived a good forty-five minute drive south of her.

"No! I don't want to get him in trouble. And don't you call the cops either, or I swear I'll kill you later," her sister whispered fiercely.

"But-"

"Just get here! Please, Kaoru. You actually paid attention when Daddy taught us the Kamiya Kasshin style. I know you can help me control Tom. I only know enough to get by until you get here."

"Please, just call the cops," Kaoru pleaded.

"I can't. I love him. Are you going to help me or not?"

"Of course-"

"Then come quick, and don't call the house phone. Shit, he's coming out of the bathroom." Her sister hung up.

Kaoru hung up the phone.

"Is something wrong?" Kenshin asked from behind her.

Kaoru turned to him, resolution forming in her mind. She was positive she and her sister could restrain Tom, and that her sister could handle herself until Kaoru got there. Her father had seen to that when each of them had first started dating at sixteen. She'd do her sister a favor this time and not call the cops, but Tom was going to get it.

"Kaoru?" Kenshin asked.

"Tom's drunk and he's beating up my sister," she told him flatly, moving past him to find her purse and her car keys. "I have to go help her."

"Did she call the cops?" he asked in alarm.

"No. We've both got martial arts training," Kaoru said, grabbing a jacket from the hall closet. "I'm a lot better than her, but she'll be fine until I get there."

"Kaoru," he said, reaching out to grasp her wrist and arresting her motion. "Misao took your car. I'll drive you. Are you sure your sister can handle Tom? It'll take me a half hour to get there."

Kaoru nodded. "She may not have wanted it, but our father trained her well. Daddy," she remembered, "I should call him." She shook her head. "No. That's like calling the police. That's why she called me. Okay. Let's go."


	25. Her Sister's House III

**Disclaimer - I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.**

**-**

**Toy Store**

**-**

** Her Sister's House III  
**

**- **

They parked a block away in case Tom was a paranoid drunk, and snuck through a neighbor's yard to reach the back door of her sister's house.

"Here's the key," Kaoru whispered as she handed it to Kenshin. "There're two locks, and this works on both of them."

"Alright." He fumbled finding the unfamiliar keyhole in the dark.

"Hurry up, before one of the neighbors sees and calls the cops," Kaoru urged.

"Is that really such a bad thing?" Kenshin asked, just as the key finally slid in one of the locks.

He didn't let her go in first since they didn't know if Tom was armed, although most likely her sister would have mentioned that on the phone. He made Kaoru stand behind him and to the left of the door as he pushed it open as gently as possible and pocketed the key. He could hear two raised voices coming from the living room. One, he recognized as Kaoru's sister, the other, he assumed, was Tom.

"Kenshin, I'll lead the way once we get in," Kaoru whispered. "I've been in her house a hundred times. I know the layout."

"I know it too," he said calmly, silencing her and probably making her wonder. His past relationship with her sister was something they hadn't discussed yet.

"I'm not happy about this, Kenshin," she said softly as he turned the knob and eased the door open. She was angry. She was angry and she was terrified for her sister, whose voice they both could now hear clear as day as they slipped inside. Kenshin heard the soft snick of Kaoru locking the door and sliding the bolt behind him, as they'd agreed in the car. He walked softly through the kitchen, careful to make no noise, conscious of Kaoru following him.

A drunken male voice asked who she thought she was, fucking locking herself in the bathroom. Kenshin shot Kaoru a questioning look and she nodded. It was Tom. She looked more determined and scared now than angry. Her sister's voice was muffled now. She'd probably hidden herself in the bathroom, or at least behind a locked door. But her voice was full of tears he hadn't been able to hear from outside. He stepped around the corner.

No one was in the living room, but he looked to his left, where he knew the hallway was, and saw Tom standing in front of the third door down on the right, the bathroom door. The man was drunk, so far gone he wavered while leaning heavily against the door. But he wasn't armed, at least not in any obvious place, and that was good.

"Tom, get back from the door," Kenshin ordered, stepping into the hallway.

Tom looked up at him blearily. "Who th'hell're you?"

"My name is Kenshin," he told Tom, motioning for Kaoru to step into the hallway. "You have to go now, Tom."

"Kaoru?" Tom slurred, ignoring him and looking at Kaoru where she stood next to Kenshin. "What're you doin' here?"

"Elaine called me," Kaoru told him. Her voice was even and confident, Kenshin noted with relief. "She said you were beating her up."

"I didn't," he said, sounding confused. "My dad died, so I got drunk."

"You did," Kaoru told him sharply. "You need to leave now."

Tom nodded. He pushed himself off the bathroom door with difficulty and started lumbering towards them. His knuckles were bleeding; it looked like he'd punched something rough, and his eyes were red. Kenshin was more worried about Kaoru's sister, Elaine. He hadn't heard a sound from her since they'd entered the house.

"In case I did, I didn't mean to hit her," Tom said, just as he was passing them in the hallway. "It's just, my dad-"

"Go away," Kaoru said, her voice catching.

"Go to your sister," Kenshin told her quietly, keeping his eyes on Tom. "I'll make sure he leaves."

"Thanks," she said shakily. He felt her body heat fade behind him as she slipped down the hallway.

"I messed up," Tom said, as if he expected Kenshin to forgive him.

"Walk to the front door," Kenshin told him, surprised when Tom actually did, making the wavering trek through the living room in silence. He fumbled with the door, but managed to open it and lurched into the dark. Kenshin shut and locked the door. Out the front window Tom walked away down the street and turned the corner. He'd probably get picked up by the police on general principal. Kenshin waited until he was sure Tom was gone for the night before he hurried down the hallway and into the bathroom.

"Thanks, Kenshin," Elaine said as soon as she saw him standing in the doorway. She was sitting on the floor next to the toilet. It smelled like she'd already thrown up. Kaoru was sitting next to her, massaging her shoulders worriedly.

"How bad are you hurt?" he asked, noting her black eye and bruised left wrist.

"Just my wrist and I banged my elbow," she said. "I told you I could take care of myself. Don't mind the vomiting- I think I ate something before Tom came."

"What about your eye?" Kaoru asked her gently.

"Tom didn't do that, I did on the corner of the counter before he came over. I had to the urge to puke so suddenly that I hit it bending over." She sighed loudly. "If I hadn't been feeling so sick, I wouldn't have this horrible black eye."

Kaoru glanced up to meet his eyes and he knew she didn't believe her. "We're taking you to the hospital."

"I said I'm fine," her sister fussed weakly.

"But you've been crying," Kaoru protested.

"It just took you so long to get here, I was feeling a little depressed," Elaine said, her voice starting to catch. "Tom's out there having an emotional breakdown that I couldn't stop." Her voice trembled. "And Kaoru, I'm pregnant with his baby." She burst into tears.


	26. His Office

**Disclaimer - I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.**

**-**

**Toy Store**

**-**

** His Office  
**

**- **

"Kaoru?" Kenshin said in surprise, standing behind his desk. His long-sleeved shirt and tie were green, respectively pale and dark. His suit jacket hung behind him on a chair.

"Hi. I took the day off from work," she said, shutting the door behind her. "Do you have time for a visit?"

"Sure," he said, walking around his desk and motioning her to sit down in one of the two chairs in front of it while he sat in the other. "How's your sister?"

Kaoru took a moment before answering to watch him. She thought she was in love with that particular suit and tie combination. His skin was tan enough so that the pale green of his shirt complimented its tone, and the fact that he'd worn a lode green tie proved he could match colors. They worked the same amount of hours, Kenshin maybe even worked more, but he spent more time in the sun. She'd have to figure out his secret.

"Elaine's fine," Kaoru said, "I took her to her gynecologist this morning. Everything's perfect with the baby." She glanced around his office. She'd never visited Kenshin at work before. "Wow, this is formal," she commented. "But I like it. Nice desk."

"Thanks. Is something wrong?"

"Am I that readable?" she asked before she could stop herself. God, Tomoe had made her paranoid.

"Kaoru, you can tell me."

She took a calming breath. "After Tom left Elaine's the other night, he tried to drive somewhere and wrapped his car around a telephone pole. He's in a coma. He's been transferred to Hope Hospital, so my sister is moving in with me so she can visit him everyday. She's in between jobs right now."

"I should have taken his keys away," Kenshin said flatly. He was good at blaming himself, Kaoru realized.

She shook her head. "No, I should have. But I didn't. Anyway, he used his spare set. Apparently he couldn't find the set that was in his pocket." She sighed. "Elaine and I told our parents the story. As expected, they flipped out, but at me for not calling the cops. And Misao and Elaine hate each other, so Misao's pissed at me too, and I'm going to have to share a room with Elaine since Kamatari's already in the guest room." Kaoru sighed again. This seemed like the time for it. "I feel guilty that I didn't call the cops. If Tom dies I don't know what I'm going to do." She sat up straighter in her chair. "And that's my sad story. I'm sorry I bothered you with it."

"You're not bothering me," Kenshin assured her. "And if anyone should feel guilty for not calling the cops, it's Elaine."

Kaoru shook her head. "Oh no. She blames me. She says she's in love with him, so she can't be expected to make rational decisions."

"That's bull," he said flatly.

"Do tell." Kaoru hoped he had a good reason for saying that, because she was feeling pretty miserable. She wanted Kenshin to make her feel better, but a part of her was going to feel guilty no matter what he said. She'd settle for feeling mostly guilt-free.

"She's using you to alleviate her own guilt. She should have called the cops instead of calling you and putting the responsibility for her situation on your shoulders."

"But she did give me that responsibility and I botched it," Kaoru said, "She just didn't want to be alone. If she'd called the cops, she still would've been by herself in a scary situation. I can't blame her for calling me."

"You're defending her for making your life miserable."

Kaoru shook her head no, but was she? She didn't want this sense of obligation towards her sister, but that was how it went with family, wasn't it? You stuck with them through everything because blood's thicker than water, and come hell or high water you're always going to be connected to them. That was what her parents had taught her to believe, but the world was proving the old saying wrong. Misao's parents were divorced. She hadn't seen her dad in fifteen years, but Kaoru had been around for twenty-two years of Misao's life. Blood runs thin, hadn't Kaoru heard that somewhere else?

"Kaoru, I don't want to argue about your sister. How about I take off work early and we go out to dinner?"

Kaoru shook her head. "I can't. I've gotta leave to pick up Elaine in an hour. She's moving in tonight. I just wanted to drop by for a little and talk to you before I drive back to her house. Did you know that you're the only person who knows about this and isn't mad at me or suffering from severe depression?"

"I guess the severely depressed one is Kamatari."

"You got it."

"Wanna dance?" he asked, standing and offering her his hand.

"What?"

He shrugged. "It'll cheer you up."

"Now?" she asked. He nodded. "To what music?"

"I'll hum," he offered.

"You're weirdin' me out, Kenshin."

He grinned down at her and started humming an old Motown song. Kaoru smiled her first real smile all day. Earlier, she'd been happy to hear her sister say the baby was fine, but Kaoru still hadn't gotten used to the fact that the baby existed in the first place. Once that sunk in though, she knew she could be happy for its existence. But that time hadn't come yet. Which was why she'd come to Kenshin- she'd known he'd make her feel happy.

"Take the hand, take the hand," he blurted out between bars, grinning down at her as he resumed humming.

And who could resist that? Certainly not her. There really was no reason to resist Kenshin anyway, unless she was insane, which she clearly wasn't, so she took his hand and smiled back as he pulled her close and started them swaying. He wasn't a bad hummer either. He could carry a tune, and the song brought back memories of happier times, back when her parents had listened to Motown music and she was four and wasn't in school yet, so she stayed home with her mom and played with her sister behind the couch. Elaine was different back then. She didn't need a boyfriend, and she'd gone by her Japanese name, not her American one. They used to half-watch the old Motown music videos their mom put on television while she worked around the house, back when men wore pink suits and sequins on stage. Back when they were both innocent and Kaoru's favorite dress was the one with the tiny ducks on it and white lace trimming at the hem, the one her grandmother had made for her.

She wished she'd known Kenshin then. How much fun could they have had - climbing trees, playing with toys, watching Disney movies? She'd loved Aladdin, been scared of Beauty and the Beast. If she'd known Kenshin years ago, they would have gone through the getting-to-know-you stage as children, not strained twenty-somethings whose lives were already full with family and jobs and responsibility. And what a fiasco discovering each other had been. Not that it was truly over even now. But it was almost over.

Kenshin had almost finished the song. Songs used to be shorter, only about three minutes long, tops. Had that been because they had to fit on the vinyl record? One of her history teachers had explained why in high school when they'd done a popular culture unit, but she'd forgotten long ago. But she'd never forget the music. Yeah, four years old the summer before school started had been a lot better than high school. You didn't have a job when you were four, or a pregnant sister you had to take care of.

Kenshin finished the song with the return of a smile she hadn't realized had left his face. He'd watched her seriously while she drifted off into the past.

"Feel better?" he asked. Somehow his voice made her feel like they were alone in his bedroom after love, even though it sounded the same as it always did.

She nodded and closed her eyes as she kissed him or he kissed her. She didn't know which, but it was happening. She kissed him back, or he kissed her back, and she willed the moment not to end. His hand was gentle touching her cheek, his other arm wrapped around her waist, holding her to him as if he was afraid she would pull away. Kaoru's arms moved up and around his neck of their own accord, brushing against the collar of his shirt. A French kiss and she discovered he tasted like cinnamon. Kenshin had a habit of drinking cinnamon tea, of carrying around cinnamon candy. He said it was the best kind.

The moment did end; she'd known it would. They had to break for air, but he only kissed her again. It was better than the last time because this second kiss was so long overdue, even more overdue than the first. So what if an office wasn't the ideal place for a romance to take off? Sordid romances were carried out in offices – romances between secretaries, bosses, clerks, page boys. But she loved the feeling of Kenshin's arm around her waist, of his hand, no longer afraid and now drifting through her hair.

She finally loved him.


	27. Her Kitchen II

**Disclaimer - I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.**

**-**

**Toy Store**

**-**

** Her Kitchen II  
**

**- **

"Those are horrible bags under your eyes," Misao said cheerfully, plopping down at the table with her bowl of cereal.

"It's because I've been puking from morning sickness for the past three hours," Elaine replied sarcastically.

"That's a shame. I just woke up a half hour ago," Misao said, starting on her cereal. Kaoru knew she'd been up for at least forty-five minutes. Kaoru also knew that Misao had sat down in front of Elaine on purpose, because watching other people eat in the morning made get Elaine sick to her stomach and have to leave the table. They'd been horrible to each other for the past three weeks, but Kaoru hadn't expected anything less, having introduced Misao to Elaine twenty-two years ago. That was when it all started. At least Misao had forgiven her for letting Elaine stay with them without consulting her first. No one wanted Tom to wake up from his coma more than Misao.

"Your manners are atrocious. Do you have to slurp your cereal?" Elaine asked crossly.

"I'm not slurping, but I can if you want me to," Misao said, and began slurping her cereal.

"Would either of you like a cup of coffee?" Kaoru asked from where she stood next to the coffee machine. It was a pathetic attempt to distract one of them.

"Yeah, that would be great," Misao answered. "Why thank you, Kaoru."

"No problem. How about you, Elaine?"

"I don't think my stomach could take it right now, dear, but I appreciate the offer," Elaine said, glaring at Misao the whole time. Kaoru couldn't really blame her. The slurping was annoying. But not annoying enough for her to get involved in a conversational battle between the two of them. Then she'd have to take sides. Kaoru suppressed a shiver.

"Alright," she answered easily.

"So Misao, how are you and Aoshi doing?" Elaine asked. "Not having relationship problems are you, because I could always pop over and visit him for lunch if you two ever have a fight." She giggled wickedly.

"Oh we're fine, but are you sure that baby's Tom's?"

Just when Kaoru thought she was going to have to break up a cat fight since Misao wasn't above slapping a pregnant woman, Kamatari soared into the room and saved the day, trilling a bright, "Hello, beautiful women."

"There are only two beautiful women in this room," Elaine said.

Kamatari laughed. "Don't be silly, darling. Were you sick again? I'll make you some tea with honey to sooth your throat. I know how rough it gets."

"Thank you, Kamatari," Elaine said sweetly.

"And Misao, how about I give you another massage after you get back from work? You've been pretty stressed lately."

"That would be wonderful," Misao said, not bothering to slurp any longer.

"Is there coffee for me in that pot?" Kamatari asked Kaoru with a wink.

"Of course," she answered with a smile, grateful to him for breaking up yet another potential cat-fight. She should be paying him to live in her house, not the other way around.

"And what are your plans today, Kaoru?" he asked as he heated some water for Elaine's tea. "Work and lunch with everyone's favorite Kenny?"

Misao and Elaine glanced at each other and giggled simultaneously.

"Yeah," Kaoru confirmed with a blush. "Kenshin said our restaurant's a surprise today. I think he was kind of upset when you crashed our lunch date last week."

Kamatari's laugh was musical. "Kenny's such a trip. Here's that tea, Elaine. Don't add too much honey. You know you can't take the sweets." He handed Elaine the tea and sat down at the head of the table, next to her.

"Thanks," Elaine said, leaning back in her chair and suddenly looking too tired to fight with Misao anymore. Sometimes Kaoru forgot how much of Elaine's energy the morning sickness took away. "Listen, Misao," Elaine said, "thanks again for letting me use your car to get to the hospital. I promise I won't crash it."

"No problem," Misao answered with a warm smile. Kaoru knew they must care for each other on some level, even if it had taken twenty-two years. Misao's car was fresh out of the shop, and Kaoru knew she was eager to drive it again, but here she was letting Elaine have it until Tom woke up. It really was surprising that they didn't get along, or rather, at this point, not surprising.

The doorbell rang.

"He's early and I left my briefcase upstairs!" Misao exclaimed, jumping up from the table and fleeing up the back steps.

"Come in, Aoshi!" Kaoru yelled. She didn't know why he felt the need to ring the bell when he came over to pick Misao up every morning. She checked her watch as she poured out four cups of coffee. Aoshi loved her coffee. It was one of the few things she could actually make, and she always made enough for him. It felt nice to be appreciated.

"Hey," Aoshi said, gliding into the room with Aoshi-esque grace and sitting down next to Elaine at the table. Good-mornings chimed around the room.

"Misao's upstairs getting her briefcase," Kaoru told him as she set down two cups of coffee, one each in front of Aoshi and Kamatari.

"Oh. I'm early today," he said, beating Kamatari to the sugar and adding it to his coffee as Kaoru went back and brought two more cups of coffee to the table. Mornings, she was glad she and Misao had bought a table for six, even though there'd been only two of them in the house at the time. Now there were four people living in the house, plus Aoshi came over for coffee every morning, and sometimes Kenshin came too, although half the time he stopped over at Sano and Megumi's house. Kaoru sat down across from Elaine so Misao could sit across from Aoshi when she came downstairs.

"So why are you early, Aoshi?" Elaine asked.

"I have-" he started just as Misao came down and he paused because he did that when Misao came into a room. It wasn't much of a pause, but Kamatari had pointed it out to her once, and now Kaoru always noticed. It was enough of a pause to get Misao talking though, sappy nonsense to Aoshi of course and then they had to kiss while everyone else looked away. Elaine rolled her eyes, but Kaoru smiled. Normally Kamatari would've started tearing up thinking of how he used to kiss Tomoe every morning, but the couple seemed to have mostly worked out their issues over the phone, so he wasn't nearly as depressed as he'd been before. You could actually bring him places and not have to worry about a breakdown.

"Oh my God! This is great!" Misao squealed just loud enough to jerk Kaoru out of a coffee-induced bliss. Apparently Aoshi had just said something.

"Say that again, Aoshi," Kamatari requested, making Kaoru perk up because she usually didn't listen to Misao and Aoshi talking together, mostly because it was too disgusting.

"Today I'm giving my two weeks notice at work so I can open up my restaurant Zen meditation studio downtown," Aoshi said simply.

"Aoshi's quitting his job!" Misao sang. "And I get his job!"

"Misao, that's a horrible thing to say!" Elaine exclaimed, genuinely shocked.

Aoshi shrugged. "She'll be happy with my job. I'll be happier teaching Zen classes."

Kaoru felt her mouth drop open in shock. Zen classes?

"Yeah, Aoshi's wanted to do this for a long time, and now he's put his brothers through college, so he can! And he'll probably make more money," Misao said, gazing at Aoshi with shining eyes.

"Kaoru, close your mouth, dear," Kamatari reminded her.

"This is coming from no where," Kaoru muttered.

"Just drink your coffee," Kamatari advised her.


	28. Her Living Room III

**Disclaimer - I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.**

**-**

**Toy Store**

**-**

** Her Living Room III  
**

**- **

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure," Kaoru answered, setting aside her novel. Something was slightly off in Misao's voice. "Is everything alright? I thought you'd be out celebrating with Aoshi tonight."

Misao shook her head and sat down on the couch next to her friend. "I think there's something wrong with me, Kaoru."

"Do you need the doctor?"

"No. It's not like that." She paused and looked down at her hands. "I'm scared, Kaoru. It's immature and selfish and I have nothing to be upset about, but I'm jealous too."

"This is about Aoshi starting his own business, isn't it?"

Misao nodded miserably. "Yes."

"You have nothing to worry about."

"I know! Don't you think I've seen the TV shows where the immature bimbo girlfriend dumps the guy because he's started his own business so he doesn't have as much time for her as he used to? And because he's losing money? But the guy's always cool with it in the end because he has to follow his dreams. Or if he's not cool with it, the episode ends and you don't have to watch him get over his sense of betrayal. I know the story, Kaoru."

"I didn't mean-" Kaoru started to protest, eyes wide.

"Of course I'm going to stick by Aoshi. I'm in love with him," Misao declared, springing up and starting to pace. "I can't do anything else! But I'm not going to be happy until I know he's not going to lose his business and wind up starving in an alley or something. Don't businesses always lose money in their first year? I'm just worried that when I'm done pretending to be happy, when his business is solid, I'm worried that I won't be happy with him any longer, that I'll have to keep pretending. But it'll be too late by then because I'll be married to him. I'm worried that I'll hide my feelings from him for so long that I won't be able to stop, Kaoru. And then he'll know, and he won't love me anymore."

"That's not going to happen," Kaoru said without hesitation. "Tell Aoshi your insecurities and let him put them to rest. A business is a big undertaking for a couple. You need to build it together. If you invest your time and your energy in his business, then you'll have made it too, and you always love the things you make, even that castle you made out of macaroni and cheese back in sixth grade. And Aoshi doesn't cook, does he?"

"Only out of necessity. His dream is the Zen part. Aoshi would meditate all day if he didn't have to work. And I'm sure a bunch of women will take the class just so they can meditate over him," Misao pouted. "Some women are ridiculous."

This wouldn't be the best time for Kaoru to mention drooling over Aoshi the first time she saw him then, would it? "Then you better be at that Zen studio, Misao, or at least in the restaurant half of it. Why don't you be the one to scout out cooks, or to decorate the place?" she suggested.

"Get involved is basically what you're saying." Misao nodded. "You're right! I can't just mope around feeling sorry for myself. I was literally making myself sick over this. I even told Aoshi I didn't feel up to going out tonight. This is such a relief, Kaoru. When you're in love, you can't see anything clearly about the other person."

"You feel better then?"

Misao nodded. "I'll talk to Aoshi tomorrow. He's going to the bank to sign the final papers. He invited me to go along."

"I'm home!" Kamatari shrilled, opening the front door.

"We're in the living room!" Misao yelled. She smiled at her best friend and dove on her, enveloping her in an enthusiastic hug. "Thanks, Kaoru. I just needed to talk to you before I threw myself into this."

Kaoru smiled, although Misao couldn't see her since she was busy squeezing the life out of her. "You're welcome."

"Awww! Kodak moment!" Kamatari exclaimed, walking into the room and pulling out a camera from his pants' pocket. He snapped a few quick shots with a grin.

"I can't believe you did that!" Kaoru yelled, struggling away from Misao. "My hair's horrible today! Hand over that camera!"


	29. His Living Room II

**Disclaimer - I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.**

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**Toy Store**

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** His Living Room II  
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"Kaoru?" Kenshin asked hesitantly.

"Hmm?"

"I think we need to talk about Elaine." His voice was soft.

"Now?"

"I don't want tension between us because of her."

"What tension?"

"You tensed up as soon as I said 'Elaine'."

"I didn't." She fought against the necessity of the discussion.

"Kaoru, you're tense."

"I'm not."

"I just gave you a ten minute massage. You were relaxed. Now you're tense."

He wasn't going to leave her alone. "Fine." Kaoru sat up. He was forcing her to confront this issue that they should have worked out weeks ago. She'd go into it swinging then. "Why don't you tell me the specifics of your relationship with my sister? This isn't easy for me, you know, her being with you first."

Kenshin looked surprised at the aggressive quality her words and voice had taken. He blinked blue–violet eyes at her and held up a hand in mock-defense. "I know this is hard on you, but it's hard on me too. Now why do you need to know exactly what happened? We only went out for two months."

"It only takes four days by my sister's dating philosophy to have an affair."

"What?" he asked in confusion. Apparently Elaine hadn't told him then, which didn't mean much. Elaine kept secrets from every man in the world, including and especially her father.

"Meet, greet, head, bed," Kaoru chanted in a singsong voice. She was surprised at the bitterness with which she spoke those words, but she continued anyway. "And disturbingly, I've seen her in action."

"Are you saying you'd dump me if I slept with her before I knew you?" Kenshin asked incredulously. The color was rising in his cheeks.

Kaoru closed her eyes. She needed to concentrate.

"I didn't think you'd still be upset over this," Kenshin said quietly. His voice shook a little. He didn't know what to make of her silence.

"I wouldn't end it with you," she said, the words blurting from her mouth. "But you didn't think I'd be upset?" she asked, opening her eyes to meet his. "I'm always going to be upset! She's not just some woman I never knew, some woman I can forget about, she's my sister! This is going to follow me for the rest of my life. You could at least do me the courtesy of informing me of the dynamic of the relationship in which I am involved!"

"You weren't involved in the relationship between me and Elaine." Kenshin said coldly.

"But I am now. To fully understand the present, I have to learn from the past. That's why they teach history," she finished sarcastically.

"Fine," the word escaped from Kenshin's mouth in clipped tones. He was looking at her as if he'd been betrayed. "I met Elaine through a mutual friend. I liked her, so I asked her out. We dated occasionally for a month, then we decided we wanted to deepen the relationship. She said she had a family barbeque coming up and she wanted to bring me. So I went and I met her sister, Kaoru. Kaoru talked about this art history book she'd just finished reading. She said it was written for kids, but that she knew almost nothing about art, so it was perfect for her. I fell for her and things cooled off with Elaine before they'd even started-"

"What things?" Kaoru interrupted.

He shrugged, watching her, his fact stony. "Kissing. Almost sex the night after the barbeque, but I couldn't after I'd met you. I strung Elaine along to keep in touch with you. I think she'd never been played before. It confused her until you saw Megumi at that party and took things the wrong way. I know you remember the argument we had in front of that toy store. I didn't even know what we were arguing about half the time. Then I made up the story about Megumi after I went to Elaine's and found her cheating on me. You know the rest."

Relief flooded her eyes.

"I still don't understand why you felt you had to know." He was visibly upset, a muddled frown across his lips.

"She's my sister, Kenshin. It's hard enough her having kissed you. She'll hold it over my head forever, I know it. I just need to know how much she's got to hold over me. I can't keep taking knocks from her that I'm not ready for and be happy with you."

"Keep taking?" He'd sorted out the two most important words she'd said almost before the sentence was out of her lips. "What has she been saying to you?"

Kaoru shook her head. "It's between me and her. We're sisters and she's older. She'll always tease me, always be able to get me upset, because she was there before I could talk." Kaoru bit her lip. "Elaine doesn't always know when she's hurting me because she loves me blindly. Anything I say to her can't hurt her, and she thinks that's true vice versa." Kaoru shrugged. "I don't have the heart to tell her it doesn't. That's the only way I could hurt her." She couldn't read the expression in Kenshin's eyes.

"She didn't tell you where our relationship stopped, did she?" he asked.

"She might've lied," Kaoru said simply. "Sometimes she keeps things from me until it benefits her for me to know them. So I had to hear it from you. But I didn't want to, because I knew whatever you said would be the truth, and I was afraid."

His eyes finally softened a little. "I don't want you to be afraid of me, Kaoru."

"I'm not." Kaoru was both too scared and thrilled to think what that meant. "Kenshin, how'd you know her house so well when we went to drive Tom away?"

He shrugged. "I've developed a good memory from necessity. I got a drink once from the kitchen when I was about to take her out to dinner. Then she showed me where the bathroom was. That was the only time I went inside."

Kaoru sighed and pushed her body back into the plush of his couch, staring up at him as he sat down next to her.

"Two months with Elaine," Kenshin said. "You and I have done more in two and a half weeks than I ever did with her."

Kaoru blushed and leaned forward to wrap her arms around him in a hug. "I was so scared, Kenshin." He pulled her closer. "I thought I wouldn't be able to deal with it, and I wanted to be able to. Don't you ever have an affair!"

He laughed and the sound was so welcome that she smiled and kept still just to listen and feel the way his body moved in laughter. It was still fascinating, the sheer lack of control he had over himself while laughing. Kenshin didn't often laugh, not for real anyway. She knew things wouldn't always be like this.

He stood, his laughter too soon faded away, and drew them both to their feet, encircling her waist with one arm. "Can I ask you a question?" His voice was affecting her that way again, making her feel like they were in bed together. It happened more and more often lately.

"Yes."

"Misao said you took a striptease class in college." The laughter had never really stopped in his eyes. She was going to kill Misao the next time she saw her. Misao had been the one to blackmail her into taking that class in the first place. "So will you put on a private show for me?"

She wasn't going through that embarrassment for anyone, not even Kenshin. Her best option was to bluff. "I'm not wasting those skills on you."

Kenshin raised an eyebrow. "Who are you saving them for? You just said I'm not allowed to have an affair, so you aren't either."

Kaoru continued recklessly-merrily on with her bluff. "I'm saving them for when I go bankrupt and need to perform on the street for quick cash." It was too bad Kenshin knew her well enough to know she'd die of mortification first.

"Bankrupt? I'll give you money. You might as well do the striptease for me now," he said, releasing her and stepping back as he watched her expectantly.

"Nope." Kaoru shook her head. "Even my parents encourage me to use my curves to my advantage, but safely. You know they can be dangerous."

"You're full of yourself, you know that?"

She burst out laughing.


	30. Emotion II

**Disclaimer - I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.**

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**Toy Store**

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** Emotion II  
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"I have an announcement to make," Kamatari said, straightening. "My wife and I are back together."

A blur of squealing and jumping followed, most of which was Kamatari and Misao, since Aoshi didn't squeal and Kaoru didn't think she could compete when Kamatari and Misao joined forces.

"Are you moving out then?" Misao asked once everything had quieted down. "The house is so much quieter with Elaine gone. It's hard to imagine it without you."

"That's the sad thing," Kamatari said, all too familiar tears beginning to swim in his eyes. "I'm leaving tonight. Kenshin went to pick up Tomoe so we can drive back together in my car."

Kaoru started crying. She'd come to truly care about Kamatari, and she was all too emotional lately, what with Tom dying instead of waking up from his coma, and Elaine deciding to give up her baby for adoption. Her sister's sorrows were all too much her own, and were just starting to diminish now that Elaine had moved back home with their parents. On top of that she felt guilty that things were going so well with Kenshin. So her crying set Kamatari off because he cried easily, and then the both of them set Misao off. Kaoru got the feeling Aoshi was staring at them like they were aliens, but she was too strung out to care.

Aoshi, ever the practical one, cut it all off by going upstairs to bring Kamatari's suitcases down. Then Kamatari went up to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything, while Kaoru and Misao watched them trudge back and forth on the stairs as their tears diminished. Just as everyone was quieting down to wait, the doorbell rang and it was Kenshin and Tomoe.

It was touching to watch Kamatari and his wife hug each other as if they'd been reunited after years of unwanted separation. They both had tears in their eyes.

"Was Tomoe upset on the drive down?" Kaoru asked Kenshin as she watched the couple whisper together.

He shrugged. "She was pissed at me the whole time for not telling her where he was. But she only fussed because she was so relieved to know."

When Tomoe and Kamatari finally separated, she asked to speak with Kaoru outside for a moment.

"Sure," Kaoru agreed. She hadn't seen or talked to Tomoe since their confrontation on the porch, which she hadn't told anyone else about. Truthfully, she was ashamed that someone could disapprove of her so suddenly and so completely. But she went outside anyway, ignoring the curious looks from Kenshin and Kamatari. She even held the door open for Tomoe.

"Ms. Kamiya-"

"Please, call me Kaoru."

"Then call me Tomoe." She smiled slightly. "Kaoru, thank you for housing my husband for the past month. I don't know if he told you, but the anniversary of the death of our twins is tomorrow."

"I'm sorry for your loss," Kaoru said, beginning to see the reason for their marital problems. "No, he didn't tell me."

"The deaths of our children put a strain on our relationship that I see now was best solved by the passage of time." Tomoe said simply. "Now I know how much more I love him since the day they died." She paused. "They were too premature. There was nothing the doctors could do."

"I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry," Tomoe said. "Their deaths had a dulling impact on me. The only time I really lived afterwards was at Sano's wedding, and while I was fighting with my husband. When I came to talk to you that day, I took out my pain and frustration on you. I hope you may one day forgive me."

"I already have," Kaoru said.

Tomoe smiled slightly. "I'm not happy that my husband spent a month in a house with three unmarried women, but I am grateful to you for giving him a place to stay."

Kaoru smiled. "I can certainly understand that. But it really wasn't a problem. He paid us a month's rent and stopped Misao and my sister from biting each other's heads off."

Tomoe smiled for real this time, like she had at Sano's wedding, and Kaoru thought again that she was truly a beautiful woman. "As long as he helped you, I suppose."

Kaoru laughed. "Would you and Kamatari like to stay and watch a movie with us before your drive back?"

"I'd like that," the other woman accepted. "And Kaoru, despite what I said before, you are good for my brother."

Kaoru lowered her eyes. The last thing she'd expected from Tomoe was praise. "I'm glad you think so."

"He's too serious, and he drives too fast. He's always driven too fast," Tomoe continued, a faint smile gracing her features, "We almost died three times coming down here and he didn't notice a thing!"

Kaoru laughed and opened the door for Tomoe to go back in the house. It appeared that Kenshin's sister was no worse than her own sister.

"You missed it! Aoshi proposed and Misao said yes!" Kamatari exclaimed as soon as they'd walked in the door. He grabbed his wife's arm and pulled her into the living room. "This calls for a sappy romance movie!"

Kaoru locked the door behind her and sighed. Life was good.

"Kaoru, get in here and see the rock!" Misao screamed from the living room. She sounded deliriously happy.

Kenshin appeared in the doorway. "Come on, Kaoru. Honestly, you have to see this ring. I'm impressed at Aoshi's good taste. He's going to be a hard act to follow."

"I'm coming," she told him.

He met her halfway.


End file.
